| Date of Accident | Mine | County | Owner or Company | Name | Age | Occupation | Category | Cause of accident & remarks | Extra Information | ||
| 1913 | January | 3 | Lochore, Mary Pit | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Henry Grossett | 41 | Pitheadman | On surface – by machinery | He was asleep on a seat in front of a vertical rod, which had arms for engaging the tappets for working the valves of a large Cornish pumping engine, and which moved up and down through a hole in the floor, making about two down strokes a minute. He apparently fell forward with his arm over the hole, into which it was pressed by the descending arm on the rod. He died about five weeks later, after having had the arm amputated. | |
| 1913 | January | 6 | Lochhead | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | David Watson | 19 | Miner's Filler | Falls of side | He was filling coal when it began to weighten. Although warned to retire, he went forward and the coal fell on to him. He died about three hours later. | |
| 1913 | January | 6 | Roman Camp No 2 (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Broxburn Oil Co Ltd | Patrick Shields | 38 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | He was engaged in working up a piece of shale from the side of his road with a crowbar or pinch when the point of the bar slipped with the result that the head of the bar bruised and tore the blood vessels of the scrotum. He died on the following day. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | January | 7 | Govan No 5 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | Thomas Sturgeon | 46 | Waggoner on Surface | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was about a train of wagons when the locomotive came upon the train and began pushing; by some means which could not be ascertained he got among the wagons, and 13 wagons of the train passed over him. He was aware that the locomotive was coming to the pit earlier than usual, and apparently he had not heard the whistle as it approached. | |
| 1913 | January | 8 | Wallyford | Edinburgh | Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd | James Walker | 43 | Chief Mechanical Engineer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | He had only been employed at the Colliery five weeks, and was engaged with the Under Manager in obtaining dimensions of the pumping plant in the shaft when he was caught by the descending " hanging-boards" attached to the pump rods, and so severely crushed that he died the same night. From Main body of report: An accident occurred in the shaft at the Wallyford Colliery, belonging the Messrs. The Edinburgh Collieries Co., Ltd., on January 8th, by which the chief mechanical engineer for all the collieries belonging to this firm was killed. The deceased had only recently taken up his duties, and at the time of the accident was examining the rods of the shaft pump with the under manager. They had stopped the cage near the bottom of the shaft, and had watched the rods working for about 10 minutes. They then stepped off the cage on to a scaffold placed to catch the "banging boards" attached to the rods in case of a broken rod, for the purpose of taking some measurements. The deceased evidently forgot about these "banging boards," and was bending down measuring the rods when they came down on top of him and crushed him so severely between them and the scaffold that he died the same night. The accident was a very simple one, but it is surprising that a man with such experience as the deceased possessed of shaft and pumping appliances should forget the danger of "banging boards” descending upon him. The pump rods worked at a very slow speed, and if he had been alert he could easily have got out of the way of them as soon as they began to make the downward stroke. It was a case of momentary forgetfulness. The deceased was a most capable engineer, and his death is much to be deplored. | |
| 1913 | January | 9 | Bailliesmuir | Lanark | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | Matthew Finlayson | 17 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was engaged in filling a tub when a piece of the rock roof, 13 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet, in the shape of a truncated prism fell, without warning, from above several props, and striking him on the head killed him instantly. | |
| 1913 | January | 10 | Kames No 1 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Andrew Bell | 28 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was engaged holing at the face in an uphill "cut" in a stooping working, the inclination being 1 in 4, when from a lipe some feet further uphill, in advance of his face, the whole mass of coal slipped suddenly and he was caught and killed. | |
| 1913 | January | 10 | Tannochside No 3 | Lanark | Archd Russell Ltd | William Brannan | 32 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was in the act of " backening" coal to roadhead, which he had just taken off the face, when the roof suddenly fell upon him. The stone came away from an unseen foul back, and in its fall threw out, at least, four props. | |
| 1913 | January | 11 | Redding | Stirling | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | William Martin | 61 | Railway Surfaceman | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He was found under the screens bleeding from the mouth, and died in a few minutes. No one saw the accident, but he probably fell against the end of the pinch bar he was moving the wagons with. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | January | 12 | Lindsay | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Neilson | 47 | Miner | Falls of side | He was standing against a pillar below an end of coal, about 16 feet wide, which he was about to get down. The coal was badly broken and had been standing some days, the previous man having tried to get it down with a shot. Dip about 1 in 8. There were no sprags, although there is a probability that the coals were holed. The coal came over without any warning pinning him against the pillar, breaking his back. He died four months later. From Main body of report: These details are listed in 1913 report under his date of accident - 10 September 1912. They are listed here under the date of death for ease of locating the record. An accident occurred at Lindsay Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on September 10th, 1912, by which a miner received injuries to his back, to which he succumbed on January 12th, 1913. The Five Feet seam here is six feet thick and lies at an inclination of about 1 in 8, and has a very pronounced cleavage at right angles to the line of full dip. It is worked longwall with roads level course. The method employed is to drive in at the road head for a distance of 9 ft. to 15 ft. and to work the "cut" so obtained on the "plans" or "face" of the coal uphill to the lower side of the roadway above. The place had been standing for two or three days, and deceased was just commencing work in this part on a cut already formed. It is not clear whether he was attempting to get down the coal or if he was about to do so, but a slab of coal 3ft. 6 in. by 7 ft. by 1 ft. rolled over and pinned him against a pillar below. It was not certain that the coal was holed, although there are grounds for thinking it was, but it is a fact that the man who was last working the place had a shot in this same slab of coal to try and get it down, and that the coal was not spragged. This accident points to the necessity of setting sprags or rances in a working of this description, whether the coal is holed or not. They should not be removed until the coal is about to be taken down. The proper place to stand than is at the side of the coal and not immediately below it. This may seem very obvious, but the neglect to observe such a simple precaution is responsible for more than one of the fatal accidents that have occurred this year. | |
| 1913 | January | 13 | Kenmuir No 4 | Lanark | J Dunn & Stephen Ltd | John Inverarity | 35 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | A heavy charge of gelignite, consisting of 22 ozs., was fired in a close place in a 2 ft. seam of coal, for the purpose of blasting through on a level above for ventilation, and after the shot exploded, deceased and his neighbour returned to the face in the expectation that it had blown through, which it failed to do, and both were overcome with the foul gases and rendered unconscious. Artificial respiration was applied and was successful in one case but unavailing in the other. From Main body of report: A miner was killed on the 13th January at Kenmuir, No. 4 Pit, belonging to Messrs. J. Dunn and Stephen, Ltd. For the purpose of ventilation a narrow place was being driven in the seam, and at the time of the accident the connection was almost through. With the object of blasting through, at hole was bored to a depth of 5 ft. and charged with 14 cartridges or 22 ozs. of gelignite. After the shot had been fired, deceased and his neighbour, evidently thinking the shot had blown through, proceeded to the farce and were immediately overcome by the fumes resulting from the explosion of the charge. They were discovered about ten minutes afterwards by the oversman and the contractor, and at once removed to fresh air, and artificial respiration applied, but deceased, who was a weakly man, did not regain consciousness. The shot had not blown through as expected, and the whole area was filled with noxious gases, which the air current had not cleared before the men went back. Going back so soon after a shot as these men did is attended with considerable risk, and I am surprised that men do it. Their own experience of the fumes from explosives should have taught them that to rush back as soon as a shot explodes is dangerous, both on account of the gases given off by the explosive, and of insecure stones which cannot be detected owing to the reek from the shot not having had time to be cleared away. |
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| 1913 | January | 16 | Auchinreoch No 1 | Stirling | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | James Shaw | 64 | Brakesman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He was employed at the bottom of a short cousie, and apparently signalled for the rake to be run without attaching the empty hutches, and, in consequence, the full hutches ran away. He was found immediately after on the ground suffering from bruises; these were considered slight, but he died from lung complications on the 24th January. | |
| 1913 | January | 17 | Carfin No 6 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | Arthur McInally | 14 | Drawer | Falls of roof | The deceased was sitting by the roadside when a large stone, 3 feet by 3 feet 4 inches by 6 inches, fell on to him. Another man sitting beside him was injured. The roadway was adjacent to an old waste, and should have been systematically timbered. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | January | 17 | Gauchalland No 4 | Ayr | Gauchalland Coal Co | James Clark | 28 | Brusher | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased and another man were detaching a loaded tub from one cuddy chain preparatory to attaching it to another to lower it further downhill. Deceased was in front of the tub, and for some reason the stop block provided was not used, and the tub overpowered him, jammed him against the roof, and suffocated him. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Gauchalland Colliery, No. 4 Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Gauchalland Coal Co., on January 17th, causing the death of a brusher. A leading brusher and an assistant were sent to clear out a new branch road close to a heading face in the Stone Coal Seam at a part where the inclination was abnormal. They reached the place by riding on a bogie on two "cuddy braes," the lower being separated from the upper by only a four feet turn plate used in connection with the branch. The "cuddy brass" had an inclination of 1 in 2 1/2, and the plate lay at one of 1 in 5. When the men reached the top of the lower cuddy with their bogie containing their tools they found the top cuddy chain was at the heading face. The assistant brusher went to the face and brought down a loaded tub which was attached to the chain, and the leading man assisted him at the turn plate to turn the tub. The latter went behind the tub while the assistant went to the front; they unhooked the chain, and, on letting the tub forward on to the block, which they thought was in position, to get purchase to turn it, they found the block was out, the tub overpowered them and ran to the steep part of the incline. The assistant who was in front and had his head and shoulders above the tub was carried six feet down to where the roof becomes lower, and was crushed between the tub and roof, and before he could be released was suffocated. He should have put in the block when he took his tool bogie up, and he evidently thought he had done so, from the position he was in when attempting to turn the loaded tub. He should also have seen the block as he passed the tub to go to the front of it, but he does not appear to have noticed it. He know the road well, and if he had exercised greater care to see that the block was in its proper position this accident would not have occurred. |
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| 1913 | January | 20 | Portland No 1, Kirkstyle Pit | Ayr | Portland Colliery Co Ltd | Robert Humphrey | 58 | Foreman Engineer | On surface – sundries | Deceased was directing the lifting of part of a heavy crane with a 1-ton hand crane when the jib chain broke and he was struck by the falling jib. His skull was fractured and he died three days later. The chain of the crane, which was owned by contracting engineers, was an old one, much worn, and in defective condition. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Portland Colliery, Kirkstyle No. 1 Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Portland Colliery Co., Ltd., on January 20th, and resulted in the death of a foreman engineer three days later. Messrs. Grant, Ritchie and Co., Ltd., had just finished erecting a pair of winding engines at Kirkstyle Pit, which were to be taken over by the Colliery Company if they proved satisfactory under steam. A 5-ton hand-crane, owned by the engineers, had been used for this work, and it was being dismantled by a 1-ton crane also owned by the engineers. The derrick of the large crane was about to be lifted horizontally, and it was up a few inches from the ground when the chain supporting the jib of the small crane broke and it fell, the point coming down about 20ft. An apprentice and the foreman engineer were both partly under the jib steadying the load; the former was knocked clear but the foreman had his skull fractured and was otherwise injured about the face. After the accident, the chain which had broken was taken to the works of Messrs. Grant, Ritchie and Co., and a new link was welded in at the break, Next morning the , chain was put back on the crane and the same load lifted when the chain again broke. Mr. Masterton visited Messrs. Grant, Ritchie, and Co’s works and saw the chain. It was 40 ft. long and the break was 24 ft. from one end. The chain was of iron, size 1/2-in., its age, quality, name of maker, and last date of annealing were all unknown, but the chain has been out at all jobs for many years. The manager and other officials at the works are new and cannot trace the chain's history. When Mr. Masterton saw it, it had been put through the fire to clean it; this was said also to anneal it though it does not do so. The links were all worn, most of them were pitted with age and weathering, and some of them were badly stretched, apparently beginning to bend inwards at the sides. Acting on my suggestion, the Procurator-fiscal had the chain examined and reported on by an expert engineer, and at the Fatal Accidents Inquiry he reported as follows:- "By instructions from the Procurator fiscal, I have made full enquiry into the accident at Portland Colliery, Kirkstyle No. 1 Pit, and have examined the broken chain now in the possession of Messrs. Grant and Ritchie. It appears that on January 20th, 1913, while some workmen were using a small crane for the purpose of lifting the derrick of a larger crane, and while the small crane was in the act of being worked; the chain holding up the jib of the small crane broke, and the jib fell and struck Humphrey, who was in charge of operations, and who subsequently died from the effects of his injuries. The broken chain was returned to Grant and Ritchie’s workshops, where it was repaired by welding in a new link. It was then replaced on the crane, and on the following day when an attempt was made to raise the same load as before the chain broke again, and the jib fell, but without injuring any one. On February 1st, I called at Grant and Ritchie’s works, and examined the broken chain. It was in two pieces, 16 ft. 4 ins, and 24 ft. 3 in. long, and had evidently been recently annealed. The original size of the chain appeared to be ½ inch diameter, but parts of it were wasted away by corrosion, due probably to exposure to the weather. I measured several links and found one which was 3/8 ins. in diameter. There were two links in the chain which appeared to have been put in recently. One of these was the link put in immediately after the fatal accident, but it was not known when the other had been put in. There were no signs of undue wear of the links through ordinary use, but the links are somewhat longer than is customary in chains for use on cranes. The age of the chain was not known, but on enquiry I was informed that it had been annealed about a year ago, and that since then the crane with this chain on it had on three occasions lifted the same load which was on it at the time of the accident. . The broken chain was used for holding up the jib of the crane; the load was actually hanging on another chain. The load on the chain which broke at the time of the accident depended on three factors - (a) the weight being lifted ; (b) the weight of the jib ; (c) the angle at which the jib was lying at the time of the accident. The weight being lifted was 21 cwts. 0 qrs. 22 lbs.; the weight of the jib was 5 cwts. 0 qrs. 22 lbs. The witness Orr states that the jib was at about the angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal. From these data and some measurements taken by me of the crane, I find that the load on the chain when it broke was aboutn37 cwts. 3 qrs. 0 lbs. I have also examined the link which broke at the time of the fatal accident. It varies in diameter, but at no place is it less than 1/2 inch. It does not show signs of undue wear, nor does it appear to have been strained previous to fracture. The break shows a coarse grain indicating a brittle condition of the metal. About three quarters of each fractured surface is black ; the remainder shows a faint brown colour. I am of opinion that the black part indicates a crack of old standing, while the brown part indicates a recent break. As regards the link which broke on the second occasion, I have not seen it, and I understand it cannot be found. From the statement made by the witness Kerr, it also appears to have been cracked previous to breaking. I have been informed by Messrs. Grant and Ritchie that the broken chain had been annealed about a year ago. If the annealing had been properly done and the chain carefully examined after being annealed, then, assuming the diameter to be 3/8 inch according to the measurement made, its breaking load might reasonably be expected to be from 4 to 4.5 tons. Having made enquiry into the circumstances relating to the accident and examined the crane, the chain, and broken link, I find :- (1) That the chain has been considerably reduced from its original diameter through rusting, and in one place I found it to be 3/8inch diameter. (2) That the chain broke on account of a crack which existed in the broken link prior to the time of the accident, (3) That the broken link was not less than if inch diameter. (4) That the load on the broken chain at the time of the accident was about 37 cwts. 3 qrs. 0 lbs. (5) That the breaking load of the chain, on the assumptions already stated, might reasonably be expected to be between 4 and 4.5 tons. Although the breaking load of the chain may be taken at 4 to 4.5 tons, yet it is not customary to load crane chains to more than about a fifth of this amount, so that the safe load on the chain should not exceed 18 cwts. As the load at the time of breaking was 37 cwts, 3 qrs. 0 lbs., the chain was overloaded irrespective of the defect in the link which broke. This was an accident which ought not to have occurred, as the chain in use was in an exceedingly bad condition. The question of a manager’s responsibility also arises, and managers ought to satisfy themselves that any plant brought on to the mine premises to do work for any contractor is of sound quality. | |
| 1913 | January | 20 | Douglas Park | Lanark | Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | George McLellan | 19 | Repairer | Falls of roof | Deceased and his brother were engaged repairing a roadway when suddenly the stone which they were about to secure fell and fatally crushed him. | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
| 1913 | January | 22 | Holytown | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | James Wright | 50 | Dirt Runner | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was crossing the main line for empty wagons on his way to the pithead, when a locomotive, belonging to the Caledonian Railway Co., caught him, and the engine with 5 wagons passed over and killed him. He was blind in his left eye and the train approached from that side. | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
| 1913 | January | 24 | Gilmilnscroft No 6 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | William Gilroy | 38 | Stone Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Deceased was engaged boring a hole for a shot with an "Ingersoll " hammer drill, when the drill struck some remnants of gelignite from a former shot, and he was killed instantly. The shot hole was being bored some distance from the position of the former shot, but was dipping at an angle towards it. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on January 24th at Gilmilnscroft, No. 6 Pit, belonging to Messrs. William Baird end Co., Ltd., whereby a miner lost his life. Two parallel stone mines were being driven through a fault to the Maid Coal Seam, in which there was a considerable number of shots fired with gelignite. The holes were bored by an "Ingersoll" hammer drill worked by compressed air. Deceased bored one hole, and while boring a second an explosion occurred and he was killed instantly. A close examination showed that a socket of a hole of a shot fired at the same place on the previous day had been left, and some unexploded part of the charge remained, the drill had struck this socket and the remnant of the explosive in it caused the explosion. |
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| 1913 | January | 24 | Aitken | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Smith | 50 | Wagon Attendant | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He was lowering a full wagon, and, just as it approached a stationary one, he stepped in front, presumably to couple the wagons, and was crushed between the buffers. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at the Aitken Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on January 24th, causing the death of a wagon attendant. Deceased was lowering a full railway 12 ton wagon into the full wagon lye, and just as it reached the lye where the other wagons were standing he stepped in front of the wagon, apparently with the intention of coupling it to the other wagons. He was, however, squeezed between the buffers, and died about 20 minutes later. This is a case of rules and instructions being ignored, and risks being incurred, to avoid the extra trouble of using the coupling pole with which he was provided. |
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| 1913 | January | 26 | Bardykes | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Michael Garrity | 42 | Repairer | Explosions of fire damp | (12.30am) Deceased was engaged with three other men and a chargeman in heightening a haulage road. A quantity of gas had collected in a hole formed when a fall of the roof took place after the timber was drawn. An indicator safety lamp was hung up on the highest available support, but during the chargeman's absence a naked light was attached to this safety lamp with the result that the gas became ignited, and Garrity received such injuries that he died on the 3rd February. From Main body of report: An explosion of gas caused by naked lights occurred at Bardykes Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Summerlee Iron Co., Ltd., on January 26th, by which one man was killed and three others more or less severely burned. The deceased was engaged along with three other men and a chargeman in back brushing the Main Haulage Road in the Upper Ell Coal Seam. They had withdrawn two or three sets of timbers and thus allowed the roof to fall up to a seam of coal 4 ins. thick, and formed a cavity about 12 ft. high. Before drawing the timber the fireman had warned them to be careful of gas, and after the fall the chargeman carefully examined the place and found a little gas. He hung a safety-lamp up in the highest part of the cavity and, after giving them all strict instructions not to take a naked light near, left them and went up the dock to seek some timber. After he left, one of the men ran three empty hutches down to be filled, and as soon as they reached the fall the explosion occurred. It was found afterwards that there was a naked light hanging from the indicator safety-lamp, which was 8 ft. 6 ins. above the floor, and another naked light on a ledge 6 ins. below it. It is probable that as soon as the chargeman left the men, they hung their naked lights up, and when the empty hutches ran down they caused. a current of air to precede them, and this, striking the heap of debris, was deflected into the cavity above, with the result that the gas which had collected at the top of it was carried on to the naked lights and ignited. If the men had obeyed the instructions of the chargeman, not to take their naked lights near the place, the accident would probably have been prevented. Where gas is known to be present, naked lights should not be allowed to be used at all. The men cannot have thought for a moment, or they would have realised that the result of hanging a naked light on to a safety-lamp placed in a cavity in which the chargeman had found a little gas was bound to cause an explosion, with serious results to themselves. | |
| 1913 | January | 27 | Carfin No 3 | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | Thomas Nugent | 37 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was taking off coal from the face when a fail of roof fatally injured him. In taking off the coal he exposed an unseen lype in roof. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | January | 29 | Earnock No 1 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | William Ferguson | 42 | Fireman | Falls of side | The deceased was examining an overhang and side stone which a brusher had just tried to pinch down, when it suddenly fell on to him and killed him instantly. | Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages |
| 1913 | January | 31 | Viewpark | Lanark | R Addie & Sons (Collieries) Ltd | Thomas Weir | 46 | Miner | Falls of roof | The deceased was sitting working at the face when a fall of roof occurred which killed him instantly. The place was well timbered but the fall came away from between two lypes. | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
| 1913 | January | 31 | Leven No 2 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | George Hunter | 22 | Bencher | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | He was assisting to move a girder when it fell on his toe and cut it. Tetanus set in and he died on 21st February. | |
| 1913 | February | 4 | Dalmeny (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd | James Malone | 46 | Miner's Drawer | Falls of side | Deceased was standing by whilst a miner was liberating some side which they thought would knock out a tree. The tree which was 8 feet 6 inches long, was knocked out and fell towards deceased instead of in the direction it was expected to fall; the end of it grazed the front of his abdomen. He was able to walk home but died in the Hospital about fifteen hours later. | |
| 1913 | February | 4 | Shettleston | Lanark | Mount Vernon Colliery Co Ltd | Alexander Wright | 19 | Pithead Worker | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | He was injured by being knocked into the upcast shaft, by the cover, lifted by the cage. He was prevented from falling into the shaft by his feet, which were caught between the cover and the pithead plates. Apparently the engineman " went away" without having received the usual signal. He died on the 11th February from his injuries. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Shettleston Colliery belonging to Messrs. The Mount Vernon Colliery Co., Ltd., on February 4th, causing injuries to a pit-head worker, which terminated fatally seven days later. The deceased was employed on the pithead, his duty being to put empty hutches on to the cages. He had just put one on, and was in the act of putting up the hutch guard when the cage began to descend, and he was struck by the shaft cover and knocked into the shalt, his feet being caught between the cover and the pithead plates prevented his falling down the shaft. This was a case of the winding engineman moving the cage before receiving a signal to do so. |
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| 1913 | February | 6 | Kenmuirhill No 2 | Lanark | Glasgow Coal Co Ltd | John Robertson | 33 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased and others were travelling up a dook road, some distance behind a loaded rake being hauled to the top, when the rake ran back for a distance of 160 yards and met him. The rake had unhooked from the rope at a flat part of the road, and the " jock " failing to act it came back. There was a good road for the men to travel parallel to the dook road, but it is a little longer and the men preferred to go by the dook road. From Main body of report: A miner was killed on February 6th, at Kenmuirhill Colliery, No. 2 Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Glasgow Coal Co., Ltd. The haulage road in the Virtuewell Seam is 600 yards long, and on an average dips 1 in 7; the rake consists of 16 tubs and is made up at three separate benches. The last rake of the shift left the mid bench, and as soon as it passed deceased and others began to travel up the haulage road behind it. On the way up the noise of tubs was heard and the men made for places of safety, and all got clear except deceased, who was struck by the tubs just as he was about to get into a manhole. The speed of the rake is about six miles an hour, and a "jock” is fixed at the end of the last tub. It appears that while on the way up the rope became slack at a flat part of the road and the chain link came out of the hook of the draw-bar of the first tub of the rake, and as soon as the tubs began to run back the weight came on the "jock," but the pavement at that part being made up of debris it sank and the tubs passed over it. There was a good road for the men to travel, but as it was a little longer they travelled up the haulage road and ran the risk of an accident such as this occurring. |
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| 1913 | February | 6 | Lochore, Mary Pit | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Wilson | 39 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was loading coal on to a conveyor, which had been put to work in the place during the previous week, when a piece of stone, 5 feet by 2 feet by 4 inches, came away from the roof and fell on his back. There had been a crush on the place, but the stone fell without any warning. The place was only 3 feet 3 inches high. He died five days later. | |
| 1913 | February | 7 | Pennyvenie No 4 | Ayr | Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd | Robert Millar | 17 | Miner's Drawer | Falls of roof | Deceased was taking a loaded tub along a branch road. It was filled rather high above the top of the body of the tub, and caught a crowntree, swept it out, and about 6 cwts. of broken sandstone fell on him, killing him instantly. | |
| 1913 | February | 7 | Swinhill | Lanark | Darngavil Coal Co Ltd | Walter Lott | 36 | Fireman | Explosions of fire damp | (8.30am) The deceased entered an old road in which gas had accumulated. He exploded the gas with his naked light, and was thus instantly killed. In thus entering this place he contravened General Rule 64 (1 and 2). From Main body of report: An explosion of firedamp occurred on February 7th at Swinhill Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Darngavil Coal Go., Ltd., and caused the death of a fireman. The deceased entered an old road, which was fenced off and had been standing for about three or four months, with a naked light, without, as he should have done, first examining it with a safety-lamp, with the result that an accumulation of firedamp was ignited, and the resulting explosion killed him instantly. It is to be regretted that anyone in the responsible position of a fireman should have been guilty of ignoring the simple but absolutely necessary precaution of examining all places which have been standing, with a safety lamp. The accident once more brought to the fore the bravery of the minor in cases of emergency, in the conduct of a fireman named Joseph Campbell and a miner named Alexander Farquharson. On hearing of the occurrence they both rushed to the scene of the accident and attempted to reach the deceased, but were driven back by after-damp. Campbell made a second and third attempt, but again without success. He then remembered that a line of compressed air pipes led into the road and there was a blank flange on the end of it some distance in, and although the afterdamp had not been cleared away the two men crawled into the blank flange and unscrewed the bolts holding it in position. During the time he was doing this Campbell’s hands and legs became numbed by the effects of the afterdamp, but he courageously stuck to his work until the flange was removed. A length of hose piping was then given to them by others who were near and they attached it to the air pipe. The compressed air then passed through the pipes and helped to clear away the afterdamp. Campbell then ran forward with the free end of the hose to where the body of the deceased was supposed to be lying ; after this he was completely overcome and had to be carried out. Artificial respiration was resorted to and he recovered about half an hour afterwards and was then carried home. Campbell deserves the greatest praise for the plucky way he stuck to his work under highly dangerous conditions. Even when he had partially lost the use of his hands and legs he continued to unscrew the bolts of the blank flange of the compressed air pipes although he was in an irrespirable atmosphere. Farquharson also deserves the greatest credit for the assistance rendered under trying and dangerous circumstances. His Majesty was graciously pleased to confer the Edward Medal on both of them in recognition of their heroic conduct. | |
| 1913 | February | 11 | Bogfield | Lanark | J Dunn & Stephen Ltd | Wincas Putras (Pole) | 30 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | The deceased was taking some compressed powder out of his can when, by some means, the explosive became ignited. He was burned about the body, arms, and head, and died from the injuries received on the following day. | |
| 1913 | February | 12 | Kenmuirhill No 2 | Lanark | Glasgow Coal Co Ltd | James Frew | 49 | Repairer | Falls of roof | The deceased was struck on the head by a piece of stone whilst repairing on a haulage road. The stone fell from a lype and came away suddenly without giving any warning. | |
| 1913 | February | 15 | Earnock | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | William Miller | 47 | Mechanical Engineer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | Deceased had just made some measurements for the purpose of fitting up gates at the entrance to the dip side of the shaft, and for some unaccountable reason he stepped into the cage seat just as the dip cage descended, and the cage with a load of two empty tubs came on him and he was killed instantly. | |
| 1913 | February | 17 | Banknock, Livingstone Pit | Stirling | Banknock Coal Co Ltd | James Marshall | 18 | Assistant Mine Surveyor | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | He was passing over the casing of a haulage wheel when his foot got into the wheel, and his leg was severely crushed. Died February 18th. From Main body of report: An accident took place at Banknock Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Banknock Coal Co., Ltd., on February 17th, and caused the death of an assistant surveyor. It appears that the deceased was climbing over a haulage wheel in order to pass some hutches, and in some way got his leg between the spokes of the wheel just as it began to move, and sustained such severe injuries that he died the following morning. It is evident that the covering of the wheel was defective, though the manager who passed over the wheel a few moments before, stated that it appeared to be quite in order, and the wheel completely covered. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that the greatest care should be taken in covering such wheels, as any defect in the fence or covering turns what should be a protection into an insidious trap. | |
| 1913 | February | 18 | Polmaise No 1 & 2 | Stirling | Archd Russell Ltd | Archibald Harper | 25 | Machineman | Falls of roof | He was working in front of a Coal Cutting Machine when a stone fell out between the trees and killed him. Another man was also badly injured. Straps instead of trees would have prevented this accident. From Main body of report: An accident which occurred on February 18th at Polmaise Colliery, Nos. 1 and 2 Pits, belonging to Messrs. Archibald Russell, Ltd., caused the death of one person and injuries to another. The deceased man, with two others, was working a coal cutter under what appeared to be sound roof when a fall took place which caused the switch gear on the machine to jamb, and also put out the men's lights. To stop the machine one of the men had to run about 100 yards in the dark to the gate end box, where he could switch off and by this time the advancing machine had crushed and killed the deceased. The stone had fallen out between two slips or lypes which ran parallel to the face in such a position that the props practically gave it no support. Had the face been timbered with straps the fall would probably not have taken place. Straps are generally used where the roof is weak, but if they were always used on machine faces there is little doubt that this type of fall would seldom occur. | |
| 1913 | February | 22 | Bowhill | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Duncan | 27 | Brusher | Falls of roof | They were backbrushing an airway when about 30 tons of the roof fell without warning, running out two bars set under it. The bodies were recovered about three hours later. The Doctor certified that death was due to suffocation in each case. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at the Bowhill Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on February 22nd, by which two brushers lost their lives. A road was being brushed to make extra height, the ground being very weak and intersected by "lypes." The roof was being supported by bars which were "needled" into one side, the other end of the bar being supported by a prop. This timbering was being further supported by "herring-bone” timbering set inside it, but there was none of this at the place where the accident occurred. The two deceased were working alone when the fall occurred. It was about 13 ft. long by 10 ft. in. breadth and about 5 ft. thick. On being missed a search was made but when the bodies were recovered about 3 1/2 hours later, life was found to be extinct, death being due to suffocation. This is one of the class of accident in which the timbering has been run out, for not a. single prop or bar was found broken. It is evident that although the size of the timber employed was probably sufficient the method of timbering was not satisfactory. I trust that this matter will receive the consideration it deserves, and that tying, or otherwise adequately securing the timbering to resist lateral movement, will be adopted where there is the possibility of a swing occurring. A sufficient number of props should also be set as temporary supports to the bars to steady them and when necessary they should be taken out gradually and with caution. | |
| William Simpson | 23 | Brusher | |||||||||
| 1913 | February | 25 | Newbattle, Lingerwood Pit | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Lamb | 21 | Drawer | Falls of side | He was engaged filling a hutch in a 7-foot seam when the head coal, which had been holed 5 feet deep, fell off the two sprags which had been set under it, and crushed him. He died on the 12th March. Had a second row of sprags been set the coal would have remained in position. | |
| 1913 | February | 26 | Dunsyston | Robert Clark | Not employed - not listed | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report | ||||
| 1913 | February | 27 | Dunnikier No 2, Pannie Pit | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Waddell | 29 | Bogieman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was riding on the bogie in front of a rake of 12 full hutches, which was gravitating towards the shaft siding at 5 to 6 miles per hour, when the bogie and the first two hutches left the rails, and he was crushed between a hutch and the side of the road. He died two days later. | |
| 1913 | February | 27 | Lassodie Mill | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Henry Gray | 29 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – irruptions of water | Deceased was engaged in driving a heading towards a pump lodgement which contained a small quantity of water. Short boreholes were being put in, and orders given that if water was found coming through the men were to withdraw. Water came through and deceased and his drawer withdrew for a time, but returned to the place, and holed to within 1 foot 6 inches of the lodgment. A block of coal between two slips then gave way, and deceased was carried by the water and the debris to the foot of the heading, which had an inclination of about 1 in 2, a distance of 200 feet, where he was found dead. Death was due to shock and suffocation. The drawer was carried down for a distance, but escaped with severe bruises. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Lassodie Mill Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd, on February 27th, by which a miner lost his life, and another received serious injuries, in somewhat unusual circumstances. The accident occurred at the face of a heading which was being driven up-hill in the coal, at an inclination of about 1 in 2, to connect into a road which had been driven at the same bearing, but which was being used at the time as a water lodgment. Water from some rise workings was being drained into it, the feeders being about 40 to 50 gallons per minute. The water was being pumped out by an electrically driven pump with a capacity of something over 60 gallons per minute. It was not intended to drive through into the lodgment until the water draining into it had been dammed back at a level above. The manager’s instructions to the men were that they were to withdraw as soon as there was any indication of water at the face. He wished to get as much of the barrier of coal from the lower side as possible, as this was cheaper than getting it from above. He was in the place the day before the accident, when he estimated the barrier of coal as being less than 12 ft. in thickness. The ground at the place was very troubled. The arrangements with regard to boring were that a 5 ft. hole was put in the middle of the place about 1 ft. 6 ins. from the roof (about 5 ft. from the pavement), and then 2 ft. to 3 ft. of coal was taken off and another bore put in. Flank bores were put in the left hand side but not to the right, this being solid coal. Deceased and his drawer observed water percolating through (it was proved afterwards that the barrier of coal was then reduced to 1 ft. 6 ins.) and left the place to try to find the fireman. Failing to find him they returned to the place and commenced to hole, when the water broke through and rushed down the heading. The drawer clung to a prop, which was ultimately dislodged, and he was carried a considerable distance. He, however, escaped with a good deal of bruising. Deceased attempted to escape down soma conveyor troughing which had been laid in the heading as a shoot for the coal. He was carried by the rush of water to the foot of the heading, however, 66 yds. away, and when his body was recovered it was found that his mouth was full of dirt and life was extinct. The pump had been standing for some time previous to the accident, but it is impossible to say with certainty for how long, the evidence on this points being very conflicting. This accident would not have occurred had proper precautions been taken by the management, although it should be said that the precautions they had devised, inadequate as they were, were not observed by the men. I cannot understand why the men should not have been withdrawn from the lower side altogether by the manager, when he estimated the barrier of coal at less than 12ft. He could have holed through quite easily from the high side when the dam had been put in, and the coal could then have been put down the conveyor pans. | |
| 1913 | February | 27 | Bannockburn | Stirling | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | James McCallum | 21 | Miner | Shaft accidents – falling from surface | He was corning up the shaft with seven other men when the winder failed to stop the cage at the proper place. The cage was carried up to the pulley, and McCallum jumping out fell down the shaft. The other men escaped. From Main body of report: A miner was killed at Bannockburn Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Alloa Coal Co., Ltd., on February 27th, from an unusual kind of accident. A cage containing eight men was being raised, and the winding engineman allowed the engine to run until the cage reached the pulley, the cage being tilted out of the vertical and then lowered back a few feet before it was finally brought to rest. The cage was double-decked, and the men in the lower deck remained in the cage until the cage was at rest and then got out on to the roof covering the pithead. Of the men on the upper deck, one jumped on to the roof as the cage reached the pulley, one did the same as the men on the lower deck, the third waited and slid down the tie rods of the pithead roof while the deceased apparently tried to jump to safety, but fell down the shaft. At this time neither detaching hooks nor controller were in use, or the one would have held the cage without tilting and the other would have prevented the overwind. Gates were fitted to the cage, but were not used. Had they been used the cage would have come to rest before the men could have jumped out, and I think there is very little doubt that a life would have been saved. | |
| 1913 | March | 6 | Hopetoun, Balbardie No 2 | Linlithgow | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Edward Keenan | 24 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was taking down the coal which a shot had broken, and probably went too near, or under, it to bring out a lump of coal to finish off a tub with. A piece of this coal and stone fell and killed him instantly. | |
| 1913 | March | 8 | Rosehall No 12 | Lanark | Robert Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd | James Young | 33 | Blacksmith | On surface – sundries | Deceased went inside the box of a dross elevator, to take out a part of a pulley, which had fallen inside, and, while doing so, it is thought he put his foot on a bucket and the chain moved, and he was fatally crushed between the bucket and a cross beam. He was in charge of some alterations, and before going inside he should have fixed the chain so that it could not move. | Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages |
| 1913 | March | 10 | Drum (Fireclay) | Stirling | Bonnybridge Silica & Fireclay Co Ltd | William Hoggan | 65 | Roadsman | On surface – sundries | Deceased had taken a quantity of gelignite, which was frozen, out of the hut to thaw it. He filled one warming-pan and then proceeded to break a stick of the gelignite, which was too long to get into another warming pan, when an explosion occurred and killed him, and slightly injured a miner who was in the hut. From Main body of report: An explosion, due to improper handling of explosives, caused the death of one man and injuries to a second at the Drum Fireclay Mine, belonging to Messrs. The Bonnybridge Silica and Fireclay Co., Ltd., on March 10th. The deceased, who had 30 years experience of explosives, had taken a quantity of gelignite from the magazine, and was proceeding to thaw it in the usual hot water tins. The gelignite (Kynoch’s) was frozen hard, and the cartridges were about 1/2 in. longer than the depth of the warming tin, which had come from Nobel’s. According to the man who was in the hut with deceased, he took a 2 Ib. cartridge and attempted to break it by hitting it on a lump of coal. The gelignite exploded, killed the deceased on the spot, slightly injured the second man, and destroyed the hut completely. It seems hardly credible that an experienced man should have treated a frozen nitro-glycerine explosive in this manner, but familiarity had evidently bred contempt of danger. There is no doubt that, wherever possible, the magazine should have its temperature kept up by steam pipes, a plan which is infinitely better than allowing the explosive to freeze and then thawing it, for it is very evident from the various accidents that have occurred through frozen explosives that men cannot be made to realise the danger. |
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| 1913 | March | 13 | Camp | Lanark | Camp Coal Co Ltd | James Campbell | 54 | Ostler | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | He was entering the cage on the ground level after having signalled to the winder to lower it. In his haste he opened the gate on the opposite side of the shaft, and stepped into the open shaft. | |
| 1913 | March | 18 | Calderbank | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | George Cochrane | 57 | Engineman | On surface – sundries | Deceased, for the purpose of fixing a box to contain flowers on a ledge, was knocking off the end of a spar constituting a fence at the entrance to an electrical power station, when he overbalanced and fell to the ground a distance of 12 feet and was killed. | |
| 1913 | March | 21 | Oakley | Fife | Oakley Collieries Ltd | James Shepherd | 43 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged with his son in brushing a place when a large piece of stone came away from some unseen breaks, smashing the timber and killing him. The stone sounded quite good when tested by the fireman 10 minutes previously. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | March | 21 | Giffnock | Renfrew | Giffnock Collieries Ltd | Peter Waicikansky | 29 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was opening out a place which had not been worked for some time, and while under some broken roof at a narrow place between a pack and the coal face he was caught by a fall and suffocated. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | March | 25 | Balgonie | Fife | Balgonie Colliery Co | John Slater | 51 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was sitting in a lye waiting for a rake of empty hutches coming in, when he was caught, and fatally crushed against a rake of full hutches standing in the lye, by a runaway full hutch from the top end of the lye, and which he mistook for an empty hutch. | |
| 1913 | March | 27 | Eglinton No 1 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Robert McGreavie | 39 | Brusher | Falls of roof | Deceased and another brusher had just started to their shift's work, and, deceased, who was in charge, had knocked out the first prop under the brushing, which was lipey and bad, when a large stone fell on him and killed him. A prop withdrawer should have been used and the accident would not have occurred. The Colliery Owners were at fault in not providing such an appliance. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on March 27th at Eglinton Colliery, belonging to Messrs Wm. Baird and Co., Ltd., and caused the death of a brusher. The Stone Coal Seam workings are 2 ft. 10 ins. high and the normal roof is of sandstone, which is blasted down to form the roads in the longwall working. In some of the roads in the West Side Section the character of the roof changed and the sandstone was replaced by blaes or clay shale, which was very badly bedded, lipey and faulted, and the conditions in these respects were especially bad in the road in which the accident occurred. Two brushers, a leading man and an assistant, were sent by the contractor brusher to brush this road, which the lineman who passed them in informed them was all right. The place was found well timbered and they only set one prop more, as the miner had been expecting his road to be brushed and had set up the line trees or breakers which keep the shot from spreading up and down the face. When the road had been brushed previously no shot was needed and the leading brusher said he would see if the roof could be brought down without a. shot again. He began to knock out the brushing props with a hammer and had only been working ten minutes when a large stone fell from the roof and killed him. His assistant was able to pull him out and get assistance. If any one of the well-known safety contrivances, or even a " battering ram " had been used to remove the props, this is an accident which would not have occurred. It was not the custom to use safety appliances for withdrawing props in Ayrshire before the Coal Mines Act, 1911, came into force, and many owners and managers appear to think the use of such a appliances is confined to "stooping and wastes." I cannot understand how they can be under this impression, for if they have carefully read Section 52 (2) of the Act I would have thought it must be perfectly clear to them that their view is wrong. I regret to say it was found after the accident occurred that the fireman had not made a proper inspection of the place but had only inspected it when standing at the road head. If accidents are to be prevented, and this is the object of firemen’s inspections, a careful inspection should be made, and I hope this is an isolated case of inadequate inspection. | |
| 1913 | March | 28 | Lindsay | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | John Duff, Junr | 30 | Brusher | Falls of roof | They were engaged in widening a siding when a large fall of roof occurred, which swung out four sets of timber and buried them. The bodies were recovered about three hours later. Death was probably due to suffocation. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at the Lindsay Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on March 28th, whereby two brushers lost their lives whilst engaged on the widening of a siding where hutches are coupled and uncoupled. The siding was part of a level, and the seam here has an inclination of about 1 in 5. The extra width was being made by taking a strip of about 3 ft. off the low side, and at the same time the road was being made 3ft. 6 ins. higher. The work was nearing completion and a bridge only 10 ft. long was left to rebrush. The ground was very bad. The roof was being supported by larch bars set 3 ft. apart, the high side being needled and the lower ends of the bars wedged and supported by props or logs where necessary. A bar had just been set at the face of the brushing and was supported in the centre by a temporary prop until a prop could be set under the lower end. Preparations were being made to do this when a large fall of the new roof occurred without any warning and buried the two men. Their bodies were recovered about three hours later, and death was said to have been due to suffocation. The fall was about 14 ft. long and had an average height of about 3 ft. There seems little doubt from the position of the timber after the accident and a consideration of all the circumstances, that the fall occurred owing to a sudden surge in an inward direction which swung out the timbers. This would be due to some extent to taking out the ground on the low side instead of the high side of the road. It is the kind of accident which officials should always be on their guard against when old settled ground is being disturbed. It is unfortunately a class of accident that is very prevalent, and I am afraid it will continue so until the necessity of tying timber by stringing deals or otherwise to resist movement in a lateral direction is more fully realised than it seems to be at present. Plenty of temporary props should also be used in this class of work to support and steady the bars, and they should only be taken out gradually as the ground settles. Neither of these precautions was adopted in the present case. |
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| John Gilbert | 55 | Brusher | |||||||||
| 1913 | April | 2 | Newcraighall | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | William Kay | 31 | Drawer | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged in pushing a loaded hutch from the working face out to the wheel brae when a fall of stone came away and killed him. The place was timbered, but the trees swung out of position; possibly had distance pieces been inserted between the trees the accident might have been prevented. | |
| 1913 | April | 3 | Carberry | Edinburgh | Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd | Robert Watson | 22 | Banksman | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | The deceased was turning round, after putting two empty hutches on to the cage, when he was struck by another empty, and knocked back into the shaft just as the cage descended, and was fatally crushed. A controller was provided to regulate the empties, and, by some means, this had evidently been half turned round, and so allowed another hutch to pass. Possibly Watson had only brought one hutch over the previous time and had forgotten to turn the controller. | Newspaper report - Lothian pages |
| 1913 | April | 7 | Arthur | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | Alexander Munro | 41 | Miner | Falls of side | He was working alone in a place and was found underneath a long length of coal which had fallen over on him, inflicting injuries which probably caused death instantly. The coal was known to be dangerous, as it was surrounded by a lype, a hitch, a loose side, a smooth roof, and it was lying at a steep inclination, but it was considered that proper precautions were being taken to support it. | |
| 1913 | April | 8 | Rosehall No 14 | Lanark | Robert Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd | Robert Bell | 25 | Chainer | Other haulage accidents | Deceased left the top dook road and rode on the chain as usual. The rake consisted of ten tubs, and in the seventh from the chain five props, 7 feet long, were placed, with the projecting ends facing the rise ; on the way down something happened causing deceased to stop the rake, and after everything was in readiness the rake again proceeded, and shortly after it suddenly stopped of its accord. A workman thought the rake was long in coming to the bottom of the dook, and he proceeded up and found the deceased in the sixth tub with the one end of a 7 feet prop against him, and the other end jammed against a crown in centre of road. It is thought that deceased had some trouble with the props while descending the dook, and that he placed one across the sixth tub and sat with it to keep it in its place, when one end came off and fell into tub, and the other projected up just as it was near a low crown. | Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages |
| 1913 | April | 8 | Ardeer, East No 3 Pit | Ayr | Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co Ltd | Edward Dale | 16 | Cage Attendant | Shaft accidents – falling from surface | Deceased was employed to put empty tubs on the cage on the night shift, There was no automatic shaft fence at the pithead level, and he, for some reason, opened the swing gate when the cage was not there, and pushed an empty tub into the shaft, and fell after it. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | April | 8 | Niddrie No 13 | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | Henry Farquhar | 26 | Miner | Falls of side | This man was engaged in holing, in the Little Splint Seam in No. 2 Level, North Side, where the measures lie at a very steep inclination, when a piece of coal came away without any warning from a " back " and killed him. | |
| 1913 | April | 9 | Little Raith, Gordon Pit | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Haxton | 52 | Repairer | Falls of roof | He was taking down some roof and liberated a large stone adjacent to it, which fell on him inflicting injuries to which he succumbed about four hours later. | |
| 1913 | April | 14 | Cairnhill | Lanark | Cairnhill Coal Co | William Stead | 26 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Deceased was proceeding along a haulage road, dipping towards the shaft, while the haulage rope was in motion, to his work in company with two other workmen, when a loaded tub became detached from the rope and ran amain. All the men attempted to reach the nearest manhole, but deceased in the confusion went to the wrong side and stepped right in front of the moving tub and was crushed. He died from his injuries three months later. The men were late owing to having overslept. When they started off along the road the haulage had not begun, but it did so while they were on the way. They should have been at the inbye end of the road before the haulage was set in motion. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on April 14th, at Cairnhill Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Cairnhill Coal Co., by which a miner was killed. Deceased and two other workmen were proceeding to their work, and while going along the haulage road the haulage was set in motion. At a level part of the roadway the noise of a runaway tub was heard, and all made for a place of refuge, but deceased apparently became confused and went to the wrong side and was caught by a tub. The other men went to his assistance, but before they could get him extricated two other tubs came on and also injured him. He died from his injuries three months later. The tubs were attached singly to the haulage rope by a "Fraser" clip, and by some unknown cause a tub had become free through the clip becoming released from the rope on the way out-bye. These men had overslept or they would have been at the in-bye end before the haulage was started. |
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| 1913 | April | 14 | Kames | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | David McSkimming | 22 | Attendant on Dross Screen | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased's duties were to attend to the dross screens, including the movement of the wagons. No one saw the accident, but apparently he had allowed 2 wagons to move too fast in bringing them to the screen, and in colliding with the wagon at the screen he somehow got between and was crushed by the buffers. | Newspaper Report - Muirkirk pages |
| 1913 | April | 16 | Pirnie | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Donaldson | 63 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was taking a round off the coal face when a large stone fell from the roof killing him instantly. The stone had straps set under it, but they, being supported only at one end, were swung out by the fall. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Pirnie Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co. Ltd., on April 16th, by which a miner was killed. It occurred at a portion of the working face which was being prepared for a coal-cutting machine. The machine had cut up to within a few yards of the face, and it was intended to take off a "round" by hand, which would improve the lace for the machine. Deceased was about to do this, when a large stone from the post roof about 12 ft long and weighing about 7 tons, fell on him and killed him instantly. On one side of this stone there was a greasy “lype" which was plainly visible before the accident occurred, it had three straps under it, but these were supported at one end only by props, and these were not under the stone ; the other ends were not needled into the coal or supported in any way. It is not surprising, therefore, that they failed altogether to hold the stone but were simply rolled off the tops of the props without being broken. It is regrettable that such a method of timbering should be allowed, but it is, I am sorry to say, not at all an uncommon practice, and one to which I have constantly to direct the attention of managers. | Newspaper report - Fife pages |
| 1913 | April | 22 | Kenmuirhill No 2 | Lanark | Glasgow Coal Co Ltd | Peter McKenzie | 32 | Brusher | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Deceased was in the act of making up a shot, and, before putting the fuse into the pellet of powder, he took his knife to scrape the hole through which the fuse was to pass, and, in doing so, he caused some of the particles of gunpowder to fall on to the flame of his lamp. He was burned so severely on his hands and arms that he died on the 28th inst. | |
| 1913 | April | 23 | Lumphinnans No 11 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Walker | 32 | Fireman | Falls of side | Deceased was talking to the miner when a piece of coal fell off at an exposed back across the working face and fatally crushed him against a prop. The seam was 4 ft. 7 ½ in. thick in all, and the dip 1 in 4. No rances or sprags had been set against the "hanging " coal. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Lumphinnans, No. 11 Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on April 23rd, by which a fireman lost his life. The seam in which the deceased was employed was 4 ft. 7 ins. thick, and dipped at a gradient of 1 in 4, and was, in the place of the accident, being worked to the full rise; the cleats, backs or leaves were 1 ft. 3 ins. apart, and were especially well marked, and were running at right angles to the dip. The miner in the place was, as usual, working the cleats off across his place, and had nearly stripped the face. The deceased had inspected and reported the place safe on his first inspection, and had also examined it a second time just before the accident occurred, and the miner had sounded and thought it safe a few minutes earlier. There were no supports of any kind set against the coal right across the face, although the top of the coal hung over 18 ins. The deceased fireman was sitting a few feet from the face talking to the miner when a large piece of coal fell out from the exposed cleat and killed him. This accident shows a lack of appreciation of the danger of leaving the coal in such places as this unsupported, both on the part of the deceased fireman and the miner, which is much to be regretted. If care were always taken to support coal under such circumstances many accidents would be avoided. |
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| 1913 | April | 28 | Whitehill | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | John Cossar | 35 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was commencing to work out some old stoops, in the Great Seam along an old haulage road, by the longwall method, when a large stone fell from a break as the coal was removed and killed him. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on April 28th at Whitehill Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Lothian Coal Co., Ltd., causing the death of one man. The accident took place in the Great Seam which has a strong sandstone roof; is 7 1/2ft. thick, and is at a very slight inclination. The seam had been worked into stoops about 15 years ago, and the owners were preparing to extract these stoops by means of the long wall system of working , starting the face from one of the old roads. At the time of the accident the deceased was engaged in taking a lift or slice off the side of a stoop, when a large stone, the whole length of his place, fell and killed him. The stone which fell was about 3 ft. broad, and one side was supported on a row of props and the other on the coal. As the latter was worked away, the stone having lost its support at that side fell and displaced the props on the other side of it. The accident would probably have been prevented if a better method of timbering had been employed. When roads in stoop and room workings stand for a long time before the stoops are extracted, a break in the stone forming the roof is formed at the edge of the stoop due to the "weighting" which takes place. The officials do not appear to have realised this. If they had they should have adopted a different method of timbering by either using pillars or chocks, or a row of props close up to the coal. In workings of this kind the greatest care and foresight should be used when removing the coal at the roadside to support the roof adequately, at both sides of the breaks, if serious accidents are to be prevented. |
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| 1913 | April | 29 | Blairadam | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | John McMillan | 14 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He was drawing a tub to the horse road, and had to run it down two short cousie braes. He seems to have had difficulty in getting it to start over the brae head, and was caught between the tub and a tree in the centre of the road when it did start. He was too young for the work. From Main body of report: A boy was killed at Blairadam Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on April 29th, whilst taking a tub out of his father’s working place. He had to take it out to a brae or incline, and attach the tub to the chain and start it down the brae, braking it by means of a brake and wheel. In doing this he went in front of a tub to pull it over the top of the brae to start it, but as he was of a small and weakly physique he could not hold the tub, and it fatally crushed him against a prop at the top of the road. The miners who knew how this boy was employed did not report the fact that he was doing man’s work, and in so doing running a great danger. The officials of the mine had never seen the boy at this work and, therefore, had not had an opportunity of stopping him. | |
| 1913 | May | 1 | Pumpherson No 5 Oil Shale Mine | Edinburgh | Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd | John Scott | 69 | Miner | Falls of side | He was holing in the shale when a piece above, which had been loosened by the shale being taken out, fell from between two smooth joints, previously unseen, and struck him on the legs. He died ten hours later from shock. | |
| 1913 | May | 7 | Aitken | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | William Purvis | 19 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | He was getting down a piece of top coal with his pick, and the coal coming away more readily than he expected, he slipped forward and his left temple came into contact with the pick point. This caused a scratch which was so slight that deceased did not have it attended to for some days. Blood poisoning intervened, however, and he died on July 15th. | |
| 1913 | May | 8 | Bowhill No 2 Pit (ironstone) | Ayr | Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd | Robert Neil | 54 | Pony Driver | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | The deceased apparently uncoupled his horse from a rake of six hutches, when he slipped and was crushed beneath the first hutch. | |
| 1913 | May | 11 | Raploch | Lanark | Raploch Coal Co Ltd | Robert Rundell | 37 | Fireman | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | The fireman and an assistant were engaged cutting a hitch at the top of a cuddie brae. They charged a shot containing 1 1/1 lbs. of gelignite, and proceeded down the brae some 40 yards to await its going off. When the shot went off the concussion extinguished both their open lights. Shortly afterwards they heard a hutch running down the brae; thinking it was the "cuddy" that had broken away, they stepped across to the empty side, and the fireman, being uppermost, was struck by an empty hutch which, they allege, ran from a side road off the brae, and which was started away by the concussion of the shot. I am inclined to think they were either using this hutch as a shield from the shot, or that they lit the shot and then jumped into the empty and rode down the brae. He died four days later. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Raploch Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Raploch Coal Co., Ltd., on May 11th, causing injuries to a fireman, from the effects of which he died four days later. The deceased and an assistant were engaged in cutting a fault at the top of a cuddy beae. They changed a shot hole with 1 1/4 lbs. of gelignite and proceeded, after lighting the fuse, down the brae about 40 yards to await its going off. When the shot exploded the concussion extinguished both their open lights, and immediately after they heard a hutch running down the brae towards them. Thinking it was the cuddie that had broken away, they stepped across to the empty side, and the fireman, being uppermost, was struck by an empty hutch which had been standing on a side road off the top of the brae, and which had started away by the concussion of the shot. A tub, or tubs, should never be left in such a position as this one was when shots are to be fired, unless they are adequately secured. |
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| 1913 | May | 12 | Loanhead Burghlee No 3 | Edinburgh | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | Peter Genman | 55 | Oversman | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | While lifting a loaded hutch on to the road he ruptured his aorta, and died at 8.50 a.m. the following day. | |
| 1913 | May | 15 | Hopetoun No 6 (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Co Ltd | Charles McQueen | 36 | Miner | Falls of roof | He had holed a piece of shale and attempted to pull it down, but failing to do so went under it again, without setting sprags, to hole it deeper, and while doing so the shale fell on him and killed him. The Fireman should have fenced the place off—there was no spare timber within 10 yards of the face, as required by the Act. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at No. 6 Hopetoun Shale Mine, belonging to Messrs. Young`s Paraffin, Light, and Mineral Oil Co., Ltd., on May 15th, causing the death of a miner. He was working in a seam which is 6 ft. thick, and had holed 13 ft. of the face about 8 ft. deep. He had tried to pull down the shale he had holed and as he could not, he had gone under it without spragging, to hole it further under. He had no sprags at hand, and did not trouble to get any as his drawer was not at work that day. He had not been long holing when a large piece of shale fell on his head and killed him. The place was especially dangerous, as one side had fallen to old workings in another seam below. The miner himself was primarily to blame for not spragging his coal, but the fireman was seriously at fault in not fencing off the place until a proper supply of timber had been obtained. It is exceedingly dangerous under any circumstances to go under unspragged coal or shale which is holed, for the purpose of further undermining it, without first setting sprags, but when attempts have also been made to get the mineral down it is nothing less than suicidal. |
Newspaper report - Lothian pages |
| 1913 | May | 15 | Lochhead | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | William Russell | 24 | Miner | Falls of side | He was working alone at the coal face at the time of the accident, but the miners in the adjoining places heard him wedging down coal. From the position of the body it is probable that the coal in falling struck and knocked out a prop, and that this struck deceased on the temple. He was rendered unconscious and died about eight hours later without ever having regained consciousness. | Newspaper report - Fife pages |
| 1913 | May | 15 | Auldton | Lanark | Brand & Co | John Dollan | 20 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was cutting into his coal at the roadhead of his longwall place, the coal having been machine cut and the road brushed close up the previous night, when a large stone fell off from an unseen lype over the cut coal and killed him instantly. | |
| 1913 | May | 15 | Newbattle | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | Frank Robertson | 50 | Brusher | Falls of roof | Deceased and another brusher were timbering a level, but because it appeared to be secure, had left a stretch of rock roof untimbered. A piece of this roof fell on to Robertson, and killed him. A seam, 12 feet above had been worked out, and this no doubt had affected the rock in question. | |
| 1913 | May | 19 | Newbattle | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | Ferguson Meek | 38 | Coal Cutter Machineman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | He fell on the revolving bar of a coal cutting machine, and received such injuries, that he died about eight hours later. | |
| 1913 | May | 21 | Lethans No 2 | Fife | Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | John Turnbull, Senr | 49 | Oncostman | Falls of roof | He was preparing to set some props to some bad roof under which he intended to build a pillar afterwards, when a large stone fell on him from against a lype, indicting such injuries that he died five days later. A Coal Cutting Machine had just cut past the place, and it is thought, that this threw on weight. The roadside building would have been erected under the stone the previous night had the brushers attended their work. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Lethans No. 2 Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Wilsons' and Clyde Coal Co., Ltd., on May 21st, by which an oncost worker lost his life. This accident occurred at a roadhead of a machine holed face. The brushers did not come to work the previous night and, in consequence, the roadside pillars were 13 ft. back from the face. Notwithstanding this and the fact that there were two broken trees where the pillar should have been the machine was allowed to cut past. About 1 ½ hours later deceased noticing that the place was very wide asked the fireman for permission to erect a pillar. He was told he could do so but must first put up some trees to replace the broken ones. Whilst taking up some of the floor for this purpose a piece of the roof 6 ft. by 4 ft. by 1 ft. fell on his back and legs. Although he had sustained a compound fracture of both legs he was put into a hutch and taken some distance down a steep brae before he received any first-aid treatment whatever. He died five days later. The question of Ambulance Work is being treated more fully elsewhere in this Report. In connection with this accident it is only necessary to say that although it is not suggested that the fractures were made compound owing to the case being handled by untrained men there is the possibility that it was so. It is in the interests of every single person who has occasion to go underground to see that a possibility of this kind is rendered as remote as possible, one of the fundamentals of first aid treatment being that an injury should be treated on the spot. There is little doubt I think that this place was far too wide to allow a machine to cut past, and that the pillar should have been put up before the machine was allowed to pass. | |
| 1913 | May | 21 | Lindsay | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Fenton | 30 | Coal Cutter Driver | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | A stone from the roof had fallen, and was resting with one end on the body of the machine, and the other on the wheel operating the starting switch. Deceased was attempting to push it off the machine whilst standing on the disc. In doing so he caused the wheel to revolve, and so started the machine. His right leg was carried partly round with the disc, and was completely severed. He died about four hours later. From Main body of report: An accident of a somewhat unusual character occurred at the Lindsay Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on May 21st, by which a coal-cutting machineman lost his life. Deceased was driving an electrical disc machine made by Messrs. Anderson, Bayes and Co. A fall had occurred, and a stone 3 ft. 6 ins. X 1 ft. 6 ins. and of an average thickness of 5 ins., was lying with one end on the body of the machine and the other on the wheel operating the starting switch. Deceased and another man were endeavouring to roll this stone off the machine, deceased standing on the disc. In doing so they caused the wheel to revolve slightly, and this started the machine. Although the man who was assisting deceased shut off current as soon as he noticed the disc revolving, it was too late, as deceased’s leg was carried round and severed in the middle of the thigh. The haulage rope was slack at the time and this would cause the disc to commence revolving more readily. Deceased could have cut off current from the machine altogether at a gate-end box only 25 yards away, and it is very unfortunate that he neglected to do so, and the more singular, inasmuch as he was a man of considerable experience with coal-cutting machines. It appears to me that managers would do well to draw up a set of simple instructions for those in charge of electrical apparatus, and have them printed in a form that could be easily carried about by the persons concerned. In this case it seems that the wheel of the starter projected too far from the body of the machine, without adequate protection, and that the design of the machine is capable of improvement in this direction. I commend the suggestion to the attention of the makers of coal-cutting machines. | |
| 1913 | May | 21 | Kenmuirhill No 2 | Lanark | Glasgow Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Davies | 33 | Drawer | Miscellaneous underground - electricity | Deceased, while handling one of three unarmoured cables without authority, grasped a repaired part and received a shock which killed him. From Main body of report: An accident from electric shock occurred on May 21st at Kenmuirhill Colliery, No. 2 pit, belonging to Messrs. The Glasgow Coal Co., Ltd., and caused the death of a drawer. Electricity is used at Kenmuirhill Colliery as 8-phase, alternating current, at 400 volts, 25 cycles, and the neutral point of the system is earthed. The current is obtained from the Clyde Valley Power Co., and it is used for pumping, hauling and coal cutting. In the No. 2 Rise Section of the Virtuewell Seam, where the accident happened, it was used for coal cutting only. Until the recent regulations came into force the cables were single core and bitumen insulated, but unarmoured, and these at the time of the accident were being replaced by a 3-core armoured cable. In that part of the pit in which the accident occurred the new cable was in place, and was almost ready for connecting up. There were some drawers and miners on the back shift clearing the faces for the coal cutters, and it was one of the drawers who was killed. This drawer was working for a brusher, and, as it was food time, he told his employer he was going to have some food. It was customary to go to the haulage lye for it, and in the present case he was going there anyhow with a tub. No one saw what occurred, but a lad on his way from the shaft saw the body lying, and he returned to the shaft bottom, where the electrician and fireman cut off the current and hastened in-bye. They arrived at the haulage lye about the same time as the brusher employing the drawer, as the former was by that time wondering what was keeping him. Deceased was found lying on his back grasping one of the cables in his right hand, and the front of two of his fingers was burned away. Artificial respiration was tried, but the body was nearly cold, and after about ten minutes’ trial it was seen to be of no use. The man’s food was found in the pocket of his jacket untouched. The jacket hung over the cables. His flask was in behind, where there was slack cable at the corner of the road, and apparently the flask had fallen there from his pocket. It is thought that he had drawn the cable aside to get the flask, and that in so doing had grasped a part which was without effective insulation, and was killed. Each of the three cables was 7/14 S.W.G. bitumen covered and protected with jute braiding. Just at the part the man had grasped the braiding had become frayed, and at some time in the past it had evidently been taped over to prevent further fraying. The drawer, who was killed, may have cracked or broken the bitumen inside the taping when pulling the cable, or, more probably, it was broken there before, and had been merely taped over instead of having been properly insulated before being taped. Mr. Masterton, who investigated this accident, had another joint similar to this opened and found waterproof taping only on top of badly cracked and hardened bitumen. Other two parts opened had been properly repaired. The cables had been in this colliery for at least three years, and probably for five, no history of them had been kept, and they had been shifted many times. The tapings were old, and neither the person who did them nor the time they were done could be traced. The electrician said he had examined the cables minutely eight or ten days before the accident, and, as he and his assistant were in the section daily, they were seen daily, though not in detail. The place where the accident occurred probably looked all right, but the cables generally were as Mr. McIlhenny found them a few days before the accident, viz., exceedingly bad, and they should, have been condemned by the electrician. The drawer who was killed was new to the colliery, and it is not known if he knew of the danger of handling cables ; there were, however, in the shaft bottom two very plain notices warning everybody concerned. | Lanarkshire accident pages |
| 1913 | May | 27 | Lochore, Mary Pit | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | George Leadbetter | 33 | Shaftsman | Shaft accidents – overwinding | They were riding on the top of the cage, which was loaded with timber, for the purpose of attending to some air rhones which were being sent down on top of the cage. The engineman failed to check the speed of the descending cage, which crashed into the pit bottom. There was no overwinding prevention contrivance fitted to the winding engine. Leadbeatter died on the way to the Aitken Colliery, to which he was being conveyed underground, a few hours later, and Bartie died on the 10th June. From Main body of report: A serious accident occurred at the Lochore Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on May 27th, as the result of which two shaftsmen lost their lives and the shaft was wrecked. The winding shaft is 672 yds. deep, and two large double-decked cages are used, four hutches being carried on each deck. The winding ropes are 2 1/8 ins. diameter, and have white metal cappings. There is a short length of coupling chain, the links being 12 ins. X 7 1/2 ins. outside measurement, and of 2 1/4 ins. diameter Lowmoor Iron, between the capping and the link to which the cage chains are attached. The detaching hooks had not been fitted, but girders 18 ins. X 7 ins. had been fixed in the lattice steel headgear in connection with them. The 20 ft. drum is connected to a pair of engines having cylinders 38 ins. diameter and 6 ft stroke. Steam blows off at 120 lbs. The reversing link gear is worked by a steam engine, and there is a direct-acting steam brake. At the time of the accident about 10 to 12 dozen of prop wood (weighing over three tons) had been loaded about equally on the decks of the cage at the surface, and two 14 ft. air rhones were put on the top of the cage, where the two shaftsmen took up their position, when the signal to lower was given. In the ordinary way with empty cages it would not be necessary to give much steam to the engine, but with the load helping the engines only a very small amount of steam at the commencement of the wind is necessary. The cages are unbalanced. The winding engineman, who was a man of great experience, said he gave very little steam at the beginning of the wind and then shut it off entirely, and at about one-sixth of the journey he threw the reversing lever over against the engine altogether. At two-thirds of the journey down he noticed that the engine was gaining speed although he was quite certain he had his foot on the brake. Keeping the reversing lever in the same position he then gave a little steam to the engine, but without effect. He repeated this a second time, but failed to stop the engine, and then the crash came. Bricks and debris were flying about the engine house, and fell down the shaft for some time. The up going cage crashed into the girders mentioned with terrific force and twisted them badly. A link of the short coupling chain mentioned broke at the weld and released the rope, which went over the wheel, made a rent in the back of the engine-house and then coiled itself completely on the still revolving drum. The cage, now freed, fell back and lodged itself at the high scaffold level. It is interesting to note that there was not the slightest sign of damage to the white metal hose. When it became possible to approach the cage at the bottom of the shaft it was seen at once that both the shaftsmen were seriously injured. One died on the way to the Aitken Colliery, the outlet for Lochore Colliery, and the other a few days later. The only explanation of this accident seems to be that the engineman had the reversing lever in the wrong position when he gave steam towards the end of the wind, although it must be said that he strenuously denies this. In any case, the engines were found to be in perfect order when tested in his presence immediately the shaft could be cleared. It is unfortunate that the prop wood should be sent down at the same time as men were riding. Section 40(11) of the Coal Mines Act prohibits persons riding in the shaft with timber, but does not apply in the case of men accompanying bulky materials which cannot be raised or lowered in a cage. It seems to me to be straining the meaning of this sub-section to claim that materials can be sent with men so long as some are sufficiently bulky as to need putting on the top of the cage, and I do not think that was the intention of the Legislature. The Sheriff] at the Fatal Accident Inquiry, made some very severe strictures on the fact that a controller was not fitted to an engine of this size from the first, but that it should be delayed until required by law. A controller has since been fitted, and I have been in communication with the owners and makers since, as I do not consider the amount of control sufficient. I have also urged on them the necessity of installing the type of brake that is held off by steam. With the present type the efficiency is considerably reduced with a fall of steam pressure. At the time of the accident it was about 97 lbs. |
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| Hamilton Bartie | 27 | Shaftsman | |||||||||
| 1913 | May | 27 | Viewpark | Lanark | R Addie & Sons (Collieries) Ltd | Charles Stevenson, Junr | 19 | Drawer | Falls of roof | He was loading a hutch with coal at the heading of a conveyor wall, when a fall of roof occurred. The roof usually consisted of strong sandstone post and was not timbered on the roadways, but at this point a ply of rocky bands some 2 ½ inches thick ran in, and it was this ply of bands that burst away suddenly from the roof, he died three days later. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Viewpark Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Robert Addie and Sons', Collieries, Ltd., on May 27th, causing serious injuries to a drawer, death supervening three days later. It appears the deceased was loading a hutch with coal at a conveyor heading road when a fall of roof occurred. The roof generally was strong sandstone post but at this point a ply of rock bands about 2 1/2 in. thick ran in, and it was this ply of bands that burst away suddenly from the roof. It is advisable where conveyors are used and one face is in advance of another, if the breaks from the advance face cross the levels, as occurred in this instance, to timber the levels systematically even if the roof appears to be good. |
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| 1913 | May | 28 | Alloa, Jellyholm Pit | Clackmannan | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Joseph Hunter | 64 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was engaged in filling a hutch when a stone fell from between two lypes, injuring him so severely that he died the following day. | |
| 1913 | May | 28 | Auchincruive No 3 | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | James Kelly | 16 | Stone Picker | On surface – by machinery | Deceased was sweeping up coal-dust from gangways, which are used for oiling purposes at the screening plant, and as he passed a conveyor on the floor level his foot was caught, he was dragged in and so badly injured that he died four hours later. He was doing what he did with his foreman's sanction. The foreman should not have allowed him to do such work when the machinery was in motion. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Auchincruive Colliery, No. 3 Pit, belonging to Messrs. Wm. Baird and Co., Ltd., on May 28th, resulting in the death of a boy who was employed as a stone picker at the screening plant. At this pit there are two shaking screens feeding on to two picking tables, and these are all driven by a combination of belt drives and gearing, actuated in this case by an electric motor. The gearing is nearly all at about the same level as the tables, and is all fenced off from parts where the persons are required to be when the machinery is in motion. There are gangways leading to the various places where the shafts and wheels must be oiled, and these gangways have handrails, and there is boxing over any horizontal shaft in the way. A good deal of dust is made from the coal during screening, and to prevent this accumulating, it is brushed off the gangways and all the wood daily. This duty was laid on the machinery attendant, who was also in charge of the boys at the picking tables, and he, it appears, was in the habit of making one or other of the boys do this work, although he had an hour after the machinery stopped in which to do it. He also got the boys to sweep while the machinery was in motion, a most deplorable proceeding, and one which no man of sense would permit. This was also apparently unnoticed by the pit headman, who should have seen it, for, although he was at a higher level and partly out of sight, he was not far away, and he had charge of all. This boy had almost completed his sweeping, and had done 111 ft. of gangway, and was close to the head of a cross scraper on the floor, when his heel was caught, he was dragged in, and so badly injured that he died a few hours later. This accident emphasises the need for constant supervision where boys are employed. |
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| 1913 | May | 29 | Mossbeath No 1 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Kelly | 25 | Miner | Falls of side | He was at the roadhead filling coal, which his brother was throwing back to him from the coal face, into a hutch, when a large portion of the roof coal fell on him without any warning, killing him instantly. | Newspaper report - Beath pages |
| 1913 | June | 2 | Clydeside | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | William Kane | 50 | Dirt Picker | On surface – by machinery | The screen engine was standing on its dead centre, and when steam was admitted it did not move. The engineman in charge of it called deceased to assist him to turn the flywheel round, and, without shutting off the steam, they pulled at the wheel, and when it moved it revolved rapidly, with the result that deceased was thrown down and crushed between the spokes of the wheel and the floor of the engine house. | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
| 1913 | June | 4 | Carberry | Edinburgh | Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd | John Casey | 31 | Brusher | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged in rebrushing a horse road, the roof of which was much disturbed and broken by the workings on the low side of it and also by the workings in seams above it. At the time of the accident he was preparing to set some timber, when a piece of the roof fell and killed him. The fall displaced some timber previously set by him. | |
| 1913 | June | 6 | Ellismuir | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | Thomas Milligan | 26 | Fireman | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Deceased was making his inspection of the working faces in a longwall working, when he reached one of the roadheads a brushing shot, above where he was, exploded, and he was buried by the debris blown down. The brusher who lighted the shot failed to adequately protect the place in order to warn anyone likely to approach by way of the face. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Ellismuir Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The United Collieries, Ltd., on June 6th, causing the death of a fireman. The deceased was making his statutory inspection during the night shift; when he reached one of the road-heads and was passing under the brushing a shot exploded above where he was, and he received the full force of the explosion and the debris blown down on to him. The brusher firing the shot failed to adequately post the approaches to his place, in order to warn anyone to keep clear as required by the Explosives in Coal Mines Order. If "danger" boards were supplied and placed across the approaches to a place in which a shot is about to be fired, accidents of this kind would be prevented. Often there are more roads or approaches to be guarded than there are men available to do so and they rely on shouting "fire." I commend this suggestion to the careful consideration of the management of mines where such conditions exist. |
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| 1913 | June | 6 | Burdiehouse Limestone Mine | Edinburgh | Midlothian Limestone Co Ltd | Charles Girdwood | 38 | Miner | Metalliferous mines | He was working at the face of the main level, which is 40 ft high, when a stone fell from a "lype" on the left side and fatally injured him. Crowns with cleading above them were placed 15 ft. above the pavement of the level, but these were carried away by the fall. From Main body of report: There was one fatal accident, whereas in 1912 no fatal accidents occurred. It happened at Burdiehouse Limestone Mine, belonging to Messrs. The Midlothian Limestone Co., Ltd., on June 6th, and caused the death of a miner ; it was due to a fall of ground. This pit, which was 16 fathoms deep, had just been sunk, and a main road was being driven to the full dip; the seam was 30 ft. thick and overlain by a bed of blaes 10ft. in thickness, above which there was a hard rock. The blaes in this road was full of "lypes," and in consequence made a treacherous roof. In working the seam was taken out, and the blaes above supported by crowns let into the sides of the road at the top of the seam, and lagging was placed on the top of and from one crown to the other. A fall of roof had taken place on the left side of the road a few days before that on which the accident occurred from a bad "lype," which broke down the lagging for some distance. Instead of repairing this lagging some crowns were put up 15 ft. from the pavement, and lagging was placed on the top of, and at right angles to, these crowns. In the morning of the accident the deceased and another man were working in the face of the road when a small fall took place from a "lype” on the left side of the place, which hit and displaced a crown and the lagging above it. Deceased, who was working directly under the part of the roof from which the fall came, was caught by it and the displaced timber and fatally injured. In places of this kind the space above the timbering should be packed solid, and this will be done in future, and the crowns will also be held together so as to prevent one being swept out in case of a fall occurring. | |
| 1913 | June | 9 | Niddrie | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | Robert Stalker | 27 | Engine Fitter | On surface – sundries | He was employed by a firm of engineers who were erecting a coal washing plant at the colliery, and was helping another man to carry a heavy valve along a 9-inch plank when he overbalanced and fell to the ground, a distance of 27 feet. He died three hours later. From Main body of report: An accident took place on the surface at Niddrie Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Niddrie and Benhar Coal Co., Ltd., on June 9th, by which an engine fitter lost his life. A new coal washing plant was being erected by a firm of engineers, and the deceased was employed by them. The framework of the building had been completed, and the machinery was in course of erection. At the time of the accident the deceased and another man were carrying a valve weighing 30 lbs. from a scaffold, on to which it had been hoisted from the ground, to the place where it was to be fitted, and the deceased was walking along a plank 9 ins. wide, and 27 ft. above the ground, when he missed his footing and fell to the ground, and died soon afterwards. Accidents such as this are due to foolhardiness. Using such narrow planks for walking on while carrying heavy loads is certain to result in accidents, and I am surprised that it should be allowed. |
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| 1913 | June | 13 | Earnock | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | Nathaniel Queen | 32 | Driver and Cousieman | Other haulage accidents | Deceased was running a rake in a cousie brae when he apparently lost control of the hutches. When the empty hutches reached the top of the brae they swung across towards him, knocked out several trees, one of which struck him and broke his neck. | |
| 1913 | June | 13 | Newbattle | Edinburgh | Lothian Coal Co Ltd | David Gordon | 24 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged in extracting a pillar, and was busy clearing away the loose coal off the level preparatory to beginning a new " lift," when a large stone fell from the roof and instantly killed him. | |
| 1913 | June | 13 | Bowhill | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James Dewar | 45 | Miner | Falls of roof | He went back about 4 yards into the waste for his axe, when a large fall of roof took place without any warning whatever and completely buried him. When his body was recovered an hour later life was found to be extinct, death being due to suffocation. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Bowhill Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on June 13th, by which a miner lost his life. The roof at the working face in the Lochgelly Splint Seam here consists of 4 ins. of coal, above which is 1 ft. 3 ins. of fireclay, and above that again is 1 ft. 11 ins. of an inferior friable coal, and this makes a very treacherous roof and one which needs close attention as it is subject to constant grinding, it being a common thing to see the roof all fallen to the post back in the waste between the props which are left standing to support small patches of the original roof. The place being worked by deceased was 26 yds. in advance of that above. He was finishing his work for the day and collecting his tools. His is axe had been thrown some 19 ft. from the face into the waste against the rib of coal formed by his place leading and when going to recover it a large fall of coal and fireclay occurred which buried him. When he was extricated an hour later he was dead. At the Fatal Accident Inquiry held at Dunfermline on July 31st there seemed to be great divergence of opinion amongst the officials and miners called as witnesses as to whether the pace where the accident occurred was waste or a "cundy" or airway. I think there is little doubt that it was a waste, although undoubtedly there should have been a packed airway along the side of the rib of coal to conduct the air from one place to the other. In the present case it had to find its way through the waste. The practice, which is unfortunately a very common one, of having one place leading the next by a considerable distance, is one which has been the cause of a great many accidents, both fatal and non-fatal, besides interfering with the proper ventilation of the places to a very serious extent. In a fiery mine this is a great source of danger. If the face cannot be maintained in a straight line I think these cuttings should be kept within the narrowest limits possible, and in no case should they exceed two or three yards. |
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| 1913 | June | 15 | Bourtreehill, Capringstone No 7 | Ayr | Bourtreehill Coal Co Ltd | Archibald Ferguson | 32 | Fireman | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | The deceased had been working in the shaft, and when ascending at the end of his shift the cage ran away to the bottom, owing to the drum coming loose from its fastenings on the drum shaft. When found some 20 minutes later life was extinct. Another fireman was with him in the cage at the time and received serious injuries. There was no brake attached to the drum shaft, contrary to Section 40 (10) of the Coal Mines Act, 1911. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Bourtreehill Colliery, No. 7, Capringstone Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Bourtreehill Coal Co., Ltd., on June 15th, whereby a fireman was killed and another one injured. It appears the pit was idle and these men were engaged in barring the outlet shaft. When they had finished their work they signalled to the engineman to raise them and had ascended some 30 fathoms when the cage rushed to the shaft bottom. This accident was due to two causes- Firstly, the drum of the winding engine was not keyed to the drum shaft, but held in position on one side by a gland or clamp round the shaft and at the other by a dog clutch. Secondly, there was no brake on the drum, and in using such a drum the manager contravened Section 40 (10) of the Coal Mines Act. He was proceeded against for this breach of the Act, convicted, and fined £2. |
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| 1913 | June | 17 | Lumphinnans No 1 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | John Blair | 16 | Pony Driver | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He was found dead with his head under the buffer of the first of five full hutches standing on a gradient of about 1 in 25. Probably he was attempting to lift a hutch on the road which was the first of a rake of six hutches, and having spragged the five hutches above mentioned, he slipped and knocked out the sprag and allowed the five hutches to run forward on to him. | Newspaper report - Beath pages |
| 1913 | June | 17 | Prestongrange, Morrisonhaven No 1 | Haddington | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | James Clark | 39 | Road Repairer | Falls of side | Deceased was engaged, along with a number of other men, in repairing the main haulage road, when a large piece of sandstone fell off the side, and so injured him that he died in half an hour. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on June 17th at Prestongrange Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Summerlee Iron Co., Ltd., and caused the death of a repairer. The scene of the accident was in a stone mine driven many years ago through hard sandstone, and although at the place where the accident occurred the metals are very flat, the “ backs" or breaks in the rock caused the mine to have the appearance of being driven level course through steep measures from the pit bottom to strike the Great Seam at beyond a large downthrow fault. At the time of the accident a gang of men were engaged in clearing away a fall which had occurred the previous day. The fall had been nearly cleared, when without any warning a large stone, 24 ft. long, 5 ft. broad, and 1 ft. in thickness, fell off the "hanging wall," killing one man and seriously injuring another. The accident draws attention to the fact that however good and strong a roof may appear, or however long it may have been standing unsupported, there is a risk that some time it may fall, and also that when men are working under it it should be adequately supported by setting props or other supports in the immediate vicinity of where they are working. |
Newspaper report - Lothian pages |
| 1913 | June | 19 | Easter Jaw | Stirling | Carron Co | Andrew Addie | 54 | Sinking Contractor | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | He was being lowered slowly down the Pit with two other men, in the kettle, when a hook on the signal wire, which one of the men was passing through his hand, caught in the bottom of the kettle. The engineman, seeing the hammer hung up, took it for a "hung signal " and kept on lowering. When the kettle was nearly horizontal it swung clear and the deceased was struck by a part of the apparatus and killed on the spot. From Main body of report: An accident, causing the loss of one life, took place on June 19th, in a sinking pit at Easter Jaw Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Carron Co. The sinking contractor and two other men were going down the shaft in the kettle, examining the pump column as they went, and, in order to keep the bell wire at hand for signalling , one of the men was allowing it to slip through his arm which was bent. Ten or twelve feet from the bottom he signalled one to stop the kettle, but the kettle still moved down, and the bottom having caught a hook in the signalling wire which held it until it became almost horizontal before breaking free. One man fell or jumped to the bottom of the shaft, the second held on to the chains, but the contractor was killed by the jar of the breakaway driving some part of the kettle on chains into his neck. It appears that the bottom dozen feet of the signal wire consisted of two lengths of chain, connected by a hook, and that this hook had caught in the hollow bottom of the kettle, giving the engineman what appeared to be a "hung signal” and in consequence he kept on creeping down, waiting for the hammer to drop. The cause of the accident was directly due to the hook in the chain, though the hollow bottomed kettle and the use of hung signals also contributed. The accident emphasises the danger of hung signals, which is not always appreciated, as well as the danger of having fittings in the shaft which may catch things going up or down. |
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| 1913 | June | 21 | Camp | Lanark | Camp Coal Co Ltd | John Quinn | 46 | Brusher | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | He had bored a shot hole and then gone out to get the charge, when he, by some means, ignited the powder, and was so severely burned that he died two days later. | |
| 1913 | June | 21 | Carnock | Stirling | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Michael King | 39 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He was assisting in moving some wagons and was crushed between the wagon he had moved and one which had followed it. The brake of the latter was stiff in the guard, and did not hold the brake blocks against the wheels by its own weight, as is usual. | Newspaper report [NB gives name as Michael Kelly] |
| 1913 | June | 24 | Leven No 4 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | George Hamblin | 19 | Cut-chain Runner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He was engaged in attaching the chain to a full hutch on a cut-chain brae when another full hutch from the bench above ran down and struck him. The hutch was being lowered from the "face" of the brae on to the bench below, where the runner expected a stop block to be in position. This block was not in position, and the hutch went down the brae and struck deceased, killing him instantly. | |
| 1913 | June | 26 | Rosehall No 13 | Lanark | R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd | John Gilligan | 23 | Labourer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | He had finished putting the empty hutches on to the cage and was standing clear when the cage was belled away—by some means or other he fell into it, and was crushed between the pithead beams and the top of the cage and instantly killed. | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
| 1913 | June | 27 | Coursington | Lanark | Wishaw Coal Co Ltd | Samuel Blakely | 14 | Dirt Picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | While waiting for work to start he had come down from the picking tables and was leaning on the buffer of a wagon near the screens. The shock of a second wagon coming against it threw him between the rails. The first wagon passed over him without hurting him, but the second caught his legs, inflicting severe injuries. He died in hospital after operation on 29th. A notice was posted forbidding lads to leave the place of work without permission. From Main body of report: A boy was injured on June 27th at Coursington Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Wishaw Coal Co., Ltd., and died on the 29th as a result of being run over by a railway wagon. He was seen leaning against the buffer of a wagon under the screens. Behind this wagon was one loaded with dross, and again, some distance back, a third wagon, empty. The third wagon was allowed to run down by itself and bumping into the dross wagon caused the boy to be thrown into the four foot way. The first wagon passed over him without injuring him, but the dross wagon ran over his legs. How the empty wagon was set free seems uncertain, but the lad was certainly where he should not have been, as a notice was posted forbidding the boys being on the ground near the screens. Empty wagons should not be allowed to run free with no one in charge, and wagons under the screens ought to be scotched unless about to be move , and, undoubtedly, it is to these causes that this accident is due. |
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| 1913 | July | 1 | Ayr, No 9 Pit, Enterkine | Ayr | George Taylor & Co | Charles Robertson | 35 | Brusher | Falls of roof | He was employed along with another man stowing, brushing and making a pack in a long-wall face. To enable them to get the work done easier, deceased knocked out some props without replacing them by others; the roof was lipey and a large stone fell on him, injuring him severely. He died on 7th. | |
| 1913 | July | 2 | East Parkhead No 1 | Lanark | Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | William Aitchison | 26 | Assistant Pony Driver | Falls of roof | Deceased and another workman were engaged clearing away some debris which had fallen from the roof, when a second fall took place, and he was struck by one of the falling stones and fatally injured. | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
| 1913 | July | 4 | Wishaw, Heathery Pit | Lanark | Glasgow Iron & Steel Co Ltd | John Tweedie | 24 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | He had drilled and cleaned a shot hole, and taken the powder out of his tin to make up a charge when a spark from the lamp on his cap ignited the powder, and he was burned on his hands and forearms. He succumbed to his injuries on the 15th July. | |
| 1913 | July | 5 | Waterloo | Lanark | John Leggat & Sons | James Berry | 15 | Dirt Picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Four loaded wagons were standing under the screens against triggers or chocks. Deceased knocked out the triggers from under the wheels and was attempting to lower them down a road, dipping 1 in 50, by means of the brake on the first wagon, when he found he could not control them, and he picked up a prop which was lying near and pushed it in between the spokes of the front wheel of the first wagon, with the result that when it came against, the grease box the end of the prop struck and knocked him across the rail, and the last wheel of the first wagon ran over and killed him. He had been repeatedly warned that he must not touch the wagons, and that the Coal Mines Act did not allow him to move them. From Main body of report: In one case a boy of 15 years of age, although he had been warned repeatedly that he must not interfere with the wagons, and, under the Coal Mines Act, it was illegal for him to do so, left his work on the screens and attempted to lower four loaded wagons. He found after they began to move that he could not control them with the brakes, and took up a prop which was lying close to and inserted it between the spokes of one of the wheels of the first wagon. When the prop was caught between the spoke and grease box of the wagon, the sudden jerk caused the end of it to hit the boy and throw him under the wheels of the wagon, one of which passed over and killed him. | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1913 | July | 5 | Auchengeich | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | William Nicol | 17 | Apprentice Electrician | On surface – by machinery | Deceased and another boy were on the cage of a hoist used principally to raise material from the ground level to the pithead level, and after starting the cage he failed to bring back his arm quick enough and it was crushed between the moving cage side and the cross beam of the framework of the hoist. He died six days later from his injuries. Deceased knew it was against orders to ride on the cage, and at the time of the accident he wished to get quickly to the pithead level to fix a cable for lighting purposes. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on July 5th at Auchengeich Colliery, belonging to Messrs. James Nimmo and Co., Ltd., by which an apprentice electrician was killed. Deceased and another boy wished to reach the pithead, and for that purpose got into the cage of a surface hoist, which is operated by electrical power, and started and stopped by an endless chain; this chain is outside the hoist frame, and when the boys had got safely inside, deceased reached out his left arm through the cage and pulling the chain set the cage in motion, but before he could pull his arm in it was caught and crushed between the cage and hoist beam, and he died from his injuries a week later. The hoist was in charge of a man specially appointed for the purpose, and no other person had authority to work or in any way interfere with it. |
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| 1913 | July | 15 | Glencleland | James Hill Jack | Not listed (possibly natural causes) | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report | ||||
| 1913 | July | 16 | Gateside | Lanark | Flemington Coal Co Ltd | James Morton | 40 | Assistant Machineman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | Deceased was at work on a coal cutting machine, when he was caught by the revolving disc and drawn in to the face by the picks. It was thought he had attempted to take out a block of wood which had become entangled in the disc, and his arm was caught. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | July | 17 | Auchengeich | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | James Doyle | 21 | Motorman | Miscellaneous underground - electricity | Deceased was in charge of a motor haulage and left his room, for what purpose was not discovered. He went into a motor pump room and took hold of an exposed terminal wire and received a fatal shock. The exposed terminal wire was part of a contrivance to switch off the current and stop the pump when the water in the lodgment reached a certain depth. The switch was inside an iron box which had a cover fixed on by screws; some person had taken off this cover and left the terminal open and exposed, and deceased came into contact with it. The voltage was 440 alternating current. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Auchengeich Colliery, belonging to Messrs. James Nimmo & Co., Ltd., on July 17th, by which a motorman lost his life. A turbine pump driven by electricity, three phase, alternating current, 440 volts, is placed near the shaft. In order to prevent the pump from going on "air" there is a contrivance contained in a cast-iron box for opening a switch which controls the running of the pump motor. The switch-box cover is secured by two screws. The contrivance was seldom in use, and, at the time of the accident, the switch was out of order, as one of the contacts was burned out. Deceased was employed at a motor haulage situated about 25 yards away from the pump. He left his place and went to the pump room, and in examining the switchbox referred to, the cover of which was off, he received a fatal shock. As the switch was not in use the connection should have been cut, rendering the whole contrivance dead. In my view the electrician in charge was, in some measure, to blame for this neglect. |
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| 1913 | July | 18 | Bankpark | Haddington | Bankpark Coal Co | John D. Aitken | 59 | Labourer | Shaft accidents – ropes or chains breaking | When they were ascending to the surface in the upcast shaft, the rope broke and the cage fell to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 46 fathoms. A "hedgehog" had been cut out of this rope two days before the accident, and, although the rope was not much more than a year old, parts of it after the accident appeared completely destroyed by rust. The rope does not appear to have been regularly examined, greased or rehosed. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Bankpark Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Bankpark Coal Co., on July 18th, causing the deaths of a mechanical engineer and a labourer. The deceased men were being raised to the surface in the upcast shaft, and when about 10 ft. from the surface the winding rope broke and they and the cage were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 46 fathoms. There was a single cage in this shaft, and it was raised and lowered by a deck winch placed in the same engine house as the winding engine, used for lowering and raising the general body of the men, and also for winding coal at the downcast shaft. The upcast shaft was the second outlet and was, as a rule, only used for the purpose of going to and from a pump placed at the bottom of it. The winding rope which broke was 3/4 in. diameter, of flexible improved patent steel and had been in use for 16 months. Two nights before the accident a "hedgehog " had occurred on the rope and a strand was taken out and the end of the strand or wire was simply fastened by wrapping it with a piece of tarred string. The interior of the rope was corroded to such an extent that most of the wires were broken into short lengths, and where this was not the case it was quite easy to break them between one’s finger and thumb, and it was quite evident to me that the rope had never been examined at all, or it had been done in a careless manner, and no care had been taken to lubricate the rope in any way. The shaft was damp and warm from the steam coming up it from the pump below, and, under these circumstances, the rope should have been examined very carefully daily and greased at frequent intervals. When the strand was taken out, two days before the accident, if an examination had been made I am convinced its dangerous condition would have been detected and it is to be regretted that this was not done. |
Newspaper report - Lothian pages |
| John Gardner | 56 | Engineer | |||||||||
| 1913 | July | 19 | Fauldhead No 3 | Lanark | Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd | William Wright | 35 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | He and his neighbour were lighting the fuses of two shots in the same place and at the same time, but when one had succeeded in doing so the other thought he had not lighted his. They retired until the charge exploded and then returned immediately to light the second shot. Deceased was close to the second shot when it exploded and injured him so severely that he died in about half an hour. The cotton of the fuse must have ignited unknown to him and singed till it lighted the powder train. | |
| 1913 | July | 19 | Auchinraith | Lanark | Merry & Cunninghame Ltd | James Duddy | 42 | Shankman | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | Deceased, with three other workmen, was engaged in the shaft, taking off broken plates on pump rods. He had occasion to step on to a "bunton" which gave way under him, and he was precipitated to the bottom, a distance of 113 fathoms. A racking, which kept the bunton in its position had, through some cause unknown, come off. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on the 19th July at Auchinraith Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Merry and Cuningham, Ltd., by which a shaftsman was killed. Deceased and some others were engaged doing repairs in the shaft, and during the operations he had occasion to step off the cage on to a "bunton," and as he did so the "bunton " tilted on the end on which he stepped, and he fell to the bottom, a distance of 232 yards. An examination subsequently showed that the racking fixed to the wall plate sole to keep the "bunton" in its place was off and when deceased put his foot on the "bunton" it slipped from its place. The keeping of the shaft in repair was the nightly work of deceased, and he had not observed the detect. A haulage rope ran behind the "bunton" and close to the racking, and it appears that the rope had displaced the racking unknown to anyone. |
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| 1913 | July | 30 | Neilsland No 2 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | Edward Mitchell | 28 | Brusher | Falls of roof | Deceased was building and stowing debris made by a shot in the brushing, when a stone fell upon him. He worked alone, and was discovered under the stone, shortly after it fell, quite dead. The roof was composed of strong sandstone, and the stone had fallen away from an unseen "dry" and in its fall displaced four props which were supporting it. | Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages |
| 1913 | July | 31 | Auchengeich | Lanark | James Nimmo & Co Ltd | George Waugh | 74 | Saw Miller | On surface – by machinery | He was engaged splitting a 4 feet prop at the saw mill and had cut it for a distance of 2 feet 7 inches when the saw met a knot, he withdrew the prop and in re-inserting it again he had missed the opening, and after the saw had cut a new opening 1 inch deep for some distance it threw out the prop, which struck him. There was a guard over the saw, but it could not possibly prevent the prop from being thrown out. | |
| 1913 | July | 31 | Minto No 2 | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | Daniel Mullen | 28 | Brusher | Falls of roof | He was at work at the face of the brushing, when the full thickness of brushing on the high side of the roadway for a length back along the roadway of 34 feet and a breadth up to a cutting of 22 feet rolled forward. He was squeezed between two stones and died before he could be released. | |
| 1913 | August | 3 | Cadder No 15 | Lanark | Carron Co | Patrick Regan | 32 | Brusher | Miscellaneous underground – by underground fires | The fire took place on the main haulage road at a part where there was an electric switch room, a telephone space and a cabin. The smell of fire was first discovered underground about 6 o'clock, and the men on the shift were warned by the deceased fireman, Charles Reilly. Three of the workmen in No. 1 Machine Section escaped by travelling the airway and reaching No. 17 shaft, which was the outlet, but the others, except one man (M. McDonald), who was found on a roadway in No. 2 Machine Section alive, perished on their way to the second shaft by the smoke and foul gases. The fire was discovered by the night fireman, who descended No. 15 Pit about 8 o'clock, and he with some others endeavoured to put it out, and being unsuccessful he raised the alarm. The Managers of both Collieries decided at once to reverse the air current, and this was done by turning on a steam jet at No. 15 Pit and stopping the fan at No. 17 Pit. Rescue parties were at once formed and proceeded towards the workings of No. 15 Pit, and the work of reaching the bodies was prosecuted with alacrity and care, and the pit was cleared by midday on the 4th. The actual cause of the fire will never be known as all the evidence was totally destroyed by the fire, and the roof at the seat was so badly fallen that it was impossible to penetrate through the fallen material without great risk of accident. From Main body of report: By Underground Fires - One accident from this cause occurred on August 3rd, at Cadder No. 15 Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Carron Co., and resulted in the death of 22 persons. It was the subject of a Formal Investigation under Section 83 (1) of the Coal Mines Act, which was held by Sir Henry Cunynghame, K.C.B., in Glasgow, and a special report was subsequently made to the Secretary of State on its causes and circumstances. | Official Inquiry & Newspaper Reports - Cadder page |
| Thomas Holland | 28 | Gummer | |||||||||
| Patrick Darroch | 19 | Brusher | |||||||||
| Charles Reilly | 35 | Fireman | |||||||||
| Alexander McMillan | 54 | Machineman | |||||||||
| Cuthbert Bell | 32 | Machineman | |||||||||
| Hugh Andersen | 17 | Bencher | |||||||||
| George Harvey | 32 | Brusher | |||||||||
| John Brown | 19 | Hole Borer | |||||||||
| George Davidson | 21 | Roadsman | |||||||||
| William Ramsay | 26 | Roadsman | |||||||||
| Hugh McCann | 37 | Hand Pumper | |||||||||
| Patrick Duffin | 34 | Brusher | |||||||||
| James Flynn | 46 | Machineman | |||||||||
| Owen McAloon | 17 | Pony Driver | |||||||||
| George McMillan | 29 | Strapper | |||||||||
| Charles Armstrong | 24 | Drawer | |||||||||
| Robert Ramsay | 30 | Roadsman | |||||||||
| William Brown | 17 | Hole Borer | |||||||||
| John Worthington | 28 | Reddsman | |||||||||
| Alexander Brown | 15 | Pumper | |||||||||
| Andrew Dunbar | 20 | Drawer | |||||||||
| 1913 | August | 3 | Tofts No 2 Shaft | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | John Kelly | 50 | Sinker | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Deceased, along with another sinker and a chargeman, was on an open, hanging and moveable scaffold preparing to fix wall plates to the timber of the shaft. The scaffold was being lowered with the men on it, when either the muzzle pin at the junction of the chains or a corner of the scaffold caught the timber of the shaft and then jerked free, causing the scaffold to oscillate violently. Deceased had not hold of the chains, he was thrown off and fell to the shaft bottom, and was so severely injured that he died ten minutes later. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Tofts Colliery, belonging to Messrs. William Baird and Co., Ltd., on the night of August 3rd, causing the death of a sinker. No. 2 shaft, which was in the course of being sunk, was 18 ft. long by 11 ft. wide, and lined with timber ; it had reached a depth of 115 fathoms, and the last shift of the week was at the usual work for that shift, viz., putting in barring, wall plates and buntons, in order to secure the sides of the shaft. This work was done from a hanging scaffold, and the chargeman and two men selected by him were on it. They went down in the kettle to where the scaffold was kept hanging, just below the rider beams, which were about 90 ft. from the bottom of the shaft. They unfastened the scaffold, and after it hung free the three of them got on to it and signalled to be lowered. They intended to travel for a distance of 24 feet, and while doing so the chargeman guided one end, the other sinker guided the other and the man who was killed stood in the middle of the scaffold. While it was travelling slowly down - it is lowered by a double-power hand winch - something caught and then jerked free and the scaffold tilted and then swung; the two men who were guiding it had a grip of the hanging chains, but the man who was killed was arranging some nails on the scaffold floor, was thrown off, fell to the shaft bottom and was killed. The accident was primarily due to the man not holding on to the chains by which the scaffold was attached to the rope. He was a sinker of long and extended experience, and one would have expected him to have taken greater care, but probably his familiarity with the work caused him to disregard a simple but very necessary precaution. A moveable scaffold is one of the most dangerous appliances in a sinking shaft, where all the work is more or less dangerous. This scaffold was 10 ft. 9 in. by 2 ft. 6in. by 4 in. thick, and thus only 3 in. shorter than the breadth of the shaft, and as the rope carrying the scaffold hung 26 in. from the end of the shaft it had 11 inches clear there. There was an end flap, 12 in. wide, on the scaffold, and this usually was folded up when ascending or descending the shaft, but even with this it was found that at the place of accident, owing to the presence of "stringers" and an end bunton, the clearances were only 5 1/2 in. at the ends and 1 1/2 in. at the sides of the scaffold. The muzzle or "D" link connecting the four suspending chains was also at this place passing between the rider beams, so the scaffold may have caught either above or below them. Under the Regulations, which have come into force since the accident occurred, it is necessary that a scaffold of this description should be protected by fences ; the danger of such an accident as this would thereby have been lessened, but I doubt if it would have been entirely eliminated. An additional safeguard which is often adopted in connection with work in shafts, is to provide safety chains or ropes, and see that they are attached to the persons and the chains of the scaffold when so working. They are generally used when sinkers are clearing out old shafts to prevent their falling , should the bottom on which they stand collapse, and I can see no reason why they should not be worn when many kinds of shaft work are being done, and when men are examining or working in shafts on the tops of cages. The prohibition of men being on scaffolds when they are being raised and lowered in shafts is, in my opinion, highly necessary except under special circumstances. The custom is both dangerous and often unnecessary. |
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| 1913 | August | 5 | Carronhall William Pit | Stirling | Carron Co | Timothy Connell | 53 | Iron pipe worker | On surface – sundries | He was coupling up the steam connections to a steam hoist, when a plank fell from the top of the hoist and knocked him to the ground. It is not certain how the plank came to fall. Died 3rd September. | |
| 1913 | August | 7 | Giffnock | Renfrew | Giffnock Collieries Ltd | Alexander Smith | 32 | Assistant Machineman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | He was engaged replacing the blunt picks on the disc of a coal cutter with sharp ones, and when the disc began to revolve, so that the part under the holing, where the blunt picks were, should be brought outside, the picks apparently struck the coal and the machine rebounded, causing the end next where deceased was to strike him and throw him on to the disc, which drew him to the coal and inflicted terrible injuries, from which he died three hours later. From Main body of report: An assistant machineman was killed on August 7th, at Giffnock Colliery, belonging to Messrs, The Giffnock Collieries, Ltd. Deceased was engaged in putting fresh picks in the disc of a coal cutting machine, and his neighbour had to switch on the electric current to tum the disc. When doing this the picks on the revolving disc struck the coal, causing the machine to rebound, and before he could get clear he was caught and thrown on to the disc; he shouted, but his neighbour could not reach the switch as it was hard up against the coal, and before the current was cut off at the gate-end box he was terribly injured by the picks. Before starting, the picks should be clear of the coal, and, in this instance, it was the duty of the men in charge to see they were clear before beginning to insert the picks. | |
| 1913 | August | 7 | Fergushill No 22 | Ayr | A Finnie & Son | Andrew Allardyce | 46 | Deputy Fireman | Explosions of fire damp | (7.30am) They were both employed clearing up a fall and setting timber at the entrance to a place which had been driven into faulty ground, for a distance of more than 250 ft., and which was ventilated by means of brattice cloth, The fall had broken down the brattice, and the place, in consequence, had been standing unventilated for a week. On the morning of the accident, the men, who worked with naked lights, for some reason went into the unventilated place and ignited gas, which exploded and killed Allardyce and burned Galone so severely that he died two days later. The men ought not to have gone into such a place, and Allardyce, at any rate, must have had some idea of what was likely to occur as he was spare fireman for the Pit. The fireman had neglected to erect or have erected a fence just beyond where the men were working to prevent them inadvertently entering' the place. From Main body of report: An explosion of gas occurred in Fergushill Colliery, No. 22 Pit, belonging to Messrs. A. Finnie and Son, on August 7th, causing the death of two roadsmen, one of whom also acted as spare fireman. A single exploration road had been driven for a distance of 250 ft. into a faulted area to prove the Lady ha' Seam, and the ventilation was conducted by brattice cloth. The gradient of the place was a slightly rising one for about half the distance, when it dipped for about 20 ft. and then rose towards the face. The roof was even more irregular, as the pavement had been partly graded. A week before the accident a fall occurred at the beginning of this road or drift and broke down some 20 ft. of the brattice cloth. The fall was cleared and all the timber except three crown trees had been replaced on the day prior to the explosion; the brattice cloth could not be replaced till the crown trees were replaced. The two deceased men were sent to complete the timbering and the brattice, and had only been a short time at work when the explosion occurred. They were alone and at some distance from the main road, but the force of the explosion was felt both in Nos 22 and 23 Pits, and in a short time men from these pits came to their assistance. Owing the fact that the pit was entirely a naked light one, only two safety-lamps were available, and as the afterdamp was travelling towards the rescuers the lamps would not burn properly. One of the men who had been burned managed to grope his way to the shaft by way of the intake air course while the officials were trying to get into the place by way of the return. He, however, died two days later. By simply opening one ventilation door and closing another the ventilation could have been reversed, and the rescuers would have been able to get into the drift with intake air, but the officials in their excitement apparently forgot that this could be done, and struggled in the afterdamp for some hours. It is difficult to understand why it did not occur to the responsible officials that so simple a remedy was available, especially when it is pointed out that some months earlier the course of the air current had been altered. The manager telephoned to Kilmarnock Rescue Station for apparatus, and Mr. Borland, Secretary to the Ayrshire Coal Owners’ Association, arrived at the colliery with a smoke helmet, which was the only apparatus available at that date. One of the firemen, who had never seen such an apparatus either above or below ground, at once volunteered to put it on and to go into the place, and after going 117 ft. into the drift he found the body of the second man, who had been killed instantly. The quantity of firedamp ignited must have been considerable, as there was evidence of violence throughout the whole length of the drift. A tub was driven outwards and broken up, the brattice boards and cloth were in splinters and shreds, and the ventilating doors in both pits were shaken, and, in some cases, blown open, and that the seat of the explosion was near to where the body was found is evident from the fact that the signs of violence were in both directions from this point. Fortunately the place and its surroundings were wet and the damage caused by the explosion was confined to the drift. The fireman who inspected the place in the morning before the men went to work neglected his duty, and only examined the drift a few yards beyond the place where the men were to timber, and he had not placed a fence to prevent anyone going beyond that point. It should, however, be said that the man who was instantly killed was a spare fireman, and had worked for years in this pit and was thoroughly acquainted with it. There were some tools at the drift face, and the probability is that he and his neighbour were going in for these with naked lights on their caps when the explosion occurred. This spare fireman was given a safety-lamp every day for testing places which he had to enter and in which firedamp might accumulate, but I regret to say that on the morning of the explosion his lamp was found hanging at the shaft bottom. This is an accident which with ordinary discipline and care should not have happened. I took the matter up strongly with the owners and safety lamps were put in throughout the seam; the management was re-organised and the under officials changed. | |
| Hugh Galone | 28 | Miner | |||||||||
| 1913 | August | 7 | Roman Camp No 3 (Oil shale) | Linlithgow | Broxburn Oil Co Ltd | John Walker | 24 | Haulage Hand | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He had entered a cut-chain brae to find the cause of a stoppage, and was caught by a runaway full hutch. The hutch had been off the rails and became uncoupled as the men were lifting it on again. | |
| 1913 | August | 8 | Niddrie No 13 | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Hollerin | 26 | Miner | Falls of side | He was working in the long wall face of a highly inclined seam, and the coal and stone above were undercut and overhanging. He was preparing to set a prop under the coal in order that he could pull down the stone safely. He sounded the stone and thought it safe, but a ton of it fell upon and so severely injured him that he died on January 21st, 1914. | |
| 1913 | August | 15 | Greenrigg | Linlithgow | United Collieries Ltd | John Watson | 50 | Coal Cutting Machine Driver | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | He had finished his cut and was leaning over the machine to slacken the haulage rope off, when the hook, by which it was attached to machine, broke and hit him on the face. He died on 17th. | |
| 1913 | August | 15 | Howmuir | Lanark | Auchinlea Coal Co | Walter Neilson | 53 | Labourer | On surface – sundries | Deceased and another workman were on the. top of a dross hopper, spreading the dross, when it collapsed, and in falling one of the wooden beams struck and killed him instantaneously. The cause of the collapse was due to a wooden cross supporting the hopper giving way. A close examination showed that dry rot had set in right across the beam longitudinally, although outwardly it appeared all right. From the position in which the beam was set it should have held a safe load of 30 tons, and the total weight never exceeded eight tons. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | August | 21/22 | Whitrigg No 2 | Linlithgow | R Forrester & Co Ltd | William Kennedy | 47 | Fireman | Other haulage accidents | He was pushing a hutch when his foot slipped and he strained his abdomen. Hernia resulted and while being operated on for this he died at the Glasgow Infirmary. | |
| 1913 | August | 24 | Devon | Clackmannan | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Black | 50 | Labourer | On surface – sundries | He was tipping ashes with another man on the dirt bing when a portion of the ashes broke away, and he rolled to the foot of the bing, sustaining very severe burns. He died about 1 ½ hours later. | |
| 1913 | August | 26 | Minto | Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | William Smith | 26 | Wagon Shunter | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | The deceased was lowering down six full wagons to attach to four others standing at the bottom end of the siding, and at the last moment tried to run between them, with the result that he was caught and fatally crushed. | |
| 1913 | August | 28 | Law No 3 | Lanark | Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co Ltd | Samuel Wallace | 32 | Machineman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | The deceased and another man were attempting to draw a coal cutting machine up the face by its own power without the disc cutting. The revolving disc caught the coal, twisting the machine partly round, and Wallace was knocked on to the picks and badly injured. He died about two hours later. From Main body of report: An accident with a coal-cutting machine on August 28th resulted in a death at the Law Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Wilsons' and Clyde Coal Co., Ltd. The machine was being pulled up the face by its own power, preparatory to starting the cut with the disc, which was running so as to cut when moving in the opposite direction. The picks caught the coal and threw one end of the machine away from the face, and the deceased was thrown on to the revolving disc, receiving such severe injuries that he died about two hours later. There is no doubt that machines should be so arranged that they can traverse the face without the cutting gear being in motion, and a device for this purpose is in use on some machines. Had this machine been so fitted the accident would not have taken place. | |
| 1913 | September | 1 | Blairmuckhill | Lanark | A & G Anderson | Samuel Kennedy | fireman | Falls of roof | He was waiting at the face for a coal-cutter to finish its cut, when a stone fell from the roof, killing him on the spot. | ||
| 1913 | September | 2 | Newton No 1 | Lanark | Dunlop & Co Ltd | John Stewart | 50 | Miner | Falls of side | The deceased, after removing the gibs from a length of undercut face, recommenced to undercut, when the coal fell on to him. He committed a breach of Section 50 (4). From Main body of report: An accident occurred on September 2nd at No. 1 Pit, Newton Colliery, belonging to Messrs. James Dunlop and Co., Ltd., causing injury to a miner, death supervening four days later. The deceased had withdrawn his gibs or sprags from the uncut coal and attempted to wedge it down; failing to bring the coal down he recommenced to undercut without first resetting the gibs. The coal fell on him, crushing his head. |
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| 1913 | September | 4 | Dechmont No 2 | Lanark | Archd Russell Ltd | Vladizlov Alisneviez | 24 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased, who had been out at the roadhead, was returning to the working face, and when close to it a fall of roof took place at unknown and invisible lypes and caught and killed him. | Newspaper report |
| 1913 | September | 5 | Darngavil No 2 Pit, Greyrigg | Lanark | Darngavil Coal Co Ltd | James Scobbie | 59 | Pithead Labourer | Shaft accidents – falling from surface | Deceased was engaged putting tubs of dross on to the cage at the low scaffold to be raised by the winding engineman to the upper scaffold, 18 feet above. He drew forward a loaded tub, opened the gate when the cage was not at the level, and pushing the tub forward fell into the shaft with it to the bottom, a distance of 46 fathoms. | |
| 1913 | September | 8 | Donibristle | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Blackstock | 58 | Bricklayer's Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He was crossing the colliery siding with an empty hod on his shoulder to get some bricks, and as he stepped out from behind a full wagon was knocked down by a train of empty wagons and run over. He died on 10th September. | Newspaper report - Beath pages |
| 1913 | September | 9 | Broomrigg No 2 | Stirling | Banknock Coal Co Ltd | James Waugh | 34 | Fireman | Miscellaneous underground - electricity | James Waugh, 34, Fireman. When laying out the haulage rope of an electrically driven coal cutter the current was switched on to the machine, and through defective insulation the machine became alive. The earthing system to some water pipes was not sufficient to deal with the leakage, and deceased was killed on the spot. Several other men also received shocks. From Main body of report: On September 9th a fireman employed at the Broomrigg Colliery, belonging to Messrs, The Banknock Coal Co., Ltd., received a fatal electric shock when working in the neighbourhood of a coal-cutter. The trailing cable was coupled up to the coal-cutter and the gate-end box, and the deceased was engaged in paying out the haulage rope. The machineman closed the switch in the gate-end box, but, as in doing so he received a shock, he at once opened it again. Going down the face he found the deceased apparently dead. Two other men near the machine had also received shocks. The motor was supplied with three phase current at 440 volts. To account for the accident the management put forward the theory that the deceased had received a shock by making contact with a faulty part of the trailing cable, but the trailing cable had been examined by the electrician on the surface on the morning of the accident, and had just been brought down the pit. For these reasons the theory of the management seems doubtful. When the machine was examined on the surface a spot was found in the plug box, where undoubtedly arcing had taken place between the conductors and the frame, and, in my opinion, it is most probable that this defect caused the accident. The earthing system was defective, as proved by the shock obtained from the gate-end box. The machine was not earthed direct to the surface, but to the delivery pipes of a pump in the seam. The machineman stated that he had received slight shocks on previous occasions. An earthing system must be completely effective, otherwise it is worse than useless, as it engenders a feeling of security where there is none. In this instance, I think, there is little doubt the accident was due to a detective earthing system. Since the accident the apparatus has been brought into conformity with the electricity regulations in all respects. |
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| 1913 | September | 16 | Banknock, Cannerton Pit | Stirling | Banknock Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Tripney | 22 | Miner | Falls of side | He was holing a 2 feet 9 inch seam, rising 1 in 4, when a piece of coal 8 ½ feet by 2 ¾ feet by 1 ½ feet, which he had holed fell away at a joint and crushed him to death. As there was 11 feet of holed, unspragged coal next to the coal which fell, and no signs of sprags under the fallen coal, it is not unreasonable to suppose that no sprags were set. From Main body of report: A miner was killed at the Cannerton Pit of the Broomrigg Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Banknock Coal Co., Ltd., on September 16th. The seam in which the accident happened is 2 ft. 9 in. thick and has an inclination of 1 in 4. The deceased had holed at least 24 ft. of the face about 2 ft. under, and there was 9 ft. at least which remained standing , having no gibs set to it. He continued holing when a piece of coal, 8 ft. 6 in. long and 4 ft. 3 in. wide, fell out from between two lypes and killed him. His drawers stated that the deceased had three sprags set by him, but even if this was the case he was incurring risk he had no right to incur by holing under such a long length of coal at such a high inclination with so little support set to it. |
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| 1913 | September | 17 | Wilsontown No 3 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | Cornelius O'Bryne | 28 | Brusher | Falls of roof | He had just knocked out a tree under the end of a strap supporting the roof at a roadhead between two greasy lypes, with a mash hammer, as he was intending to blast down the roof in order to brush the road. The roof fell at once, however, between the lypes for a considerable length, killing him instantly. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Wilsontown Colliery belonging to Messrs. Wm. Dixon, Ltd., on September 17th, causing the death of a brusher. Deceased was sent to brush a road along which ran two "lypes" or slips. He was aware of the existence of them, as they had been on either side of the road for some time, and the roof had lowered some inches against the one on the low side of the road. He evidently considered, however, that it would require explosive to bring it down, as he had instructed his assistant to bore a shothole. The roof to be brushed was supported by two bars, and deceased went under it and knocked out the legs supporting the outermost bar with a mash hammer. He then knocked out one of the legs supporting the inner bar and the roof between the "lypes" fell up to the coal face. The length was 13 ft. and the breadth 7 ft. and the thickness 2 ft. He was instantly killed. It is difficult to understand why deceased should go under the roof which he was going to brush, as he could have knocked out the legs from the front of the brushing. At the same time a safety contrivance should have been provided for drawing out the legs as required by Section 52 (2) of the Coal Mines Act, which imposes on the firemen the duty of determining when it as to be used. I regret to say that no such contrivance was provided at the colliery before the accident, although some have been procured since. This is a point to which I should like to direct the attention of managers of all mines in my Division. |
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| 1913 | September | 17 | Devon | Clackmannan | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Andrew Sharp | 56 | Wagon Setter | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He stepped out from behind the screens on to the running line just as a locomotive was passing. He was knocked down and sustained such severe injuries that he died six days later. He was very deaf. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Devon Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Alloa Coal Co., Ltd., on September 17th, by which a wagon setter lost his life. Deceased was passing from one point of his work to another at the screens, and in doing so had to walk a short distance on the running line. He must have stepped on to it almost in front of the locomotive which was passing, for the engine driver and stoker did not see him. He was struck by the locomotive and died six days later. The deceased was very deaf; and as he was employed at that particular place for 15 years, he must have kept a very sharp look-out as a rule. Persons afflicted with deafness should not he employed on sidings or railways, as it must sooner or later lead to accidents such as this. |
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| 1913 | September | 23 | Hamilton Palace | Lanark | Bent Colliery Co Ltd | John Smith | 47 | Miner | Falls of side | Deceased was taking down coal, and when it was ready to fall he stepped back to a position in which he thought he would he clear. The coal as it fell displaced a long prop he had set up the previous clay, and the end of it struck him violently on the upper part of the abdomen. It was not thought he was seriously injured, but he afterwards had to be removed to the infirmary and died next day. | Newspaper report - Bothwellhaugh pages |
| 1913 | September | 23 | Baads No 42 (Oil shale) | Edinburgh | Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Co Ltd | Patrick Rennie | 32 | Brusher | Falls of roof | He was engaged in brushing a main road when he was fatally crushed by a stone which fell away from the face of the newly exposed brushing. He had previously attempted to bring down the stone with a pinch-bar, but no impression appeared to have been then made on it, and he, therefore, thought it was safe. | |
| 1913 | October | 1 | Auchincruive | Ayr | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | Denis Nuson | 20 | Surface Worker | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | He was assisting to adjust empty tubs on cage when the cage suddenly descended, and he was thrown into the shaft and crushed between the cage and the scaffold at the mouth of the shaft. The engineman apparently went away without having received the signal from the surface. From Main body of report: A surface worker was killed on October 1st at Auchincruive Colliery, belonging to Messrs. William Baird and Co., Ltd. The shaft is an upcast and is closed up to the pulleys ; access is by means of sliding doors worked by the cage. At the entrance, a controller for empty tubs is fixed, worked by a lever. By an arrangement with a through rod the same lever works the controllers on the cage simultaneously. When the loaded cage arrives at the pit top, the person in charge releases the controllers by means of his lever, and the loaded tubs move off while the empty tubs move on to the cage, and are held in position by the controllers. At the time of the accident, the second loaded tub stopped by reason of the coupling chains being caught on the controller, which necessitated the releasing of the controller a second time. When the tubs again moved forward, the first empty tub ran too far, and deceased was about to adjust it when the cage suddenly went away and he was caught between the top part of the cage and the scaffold. The engineman had apparently taken the cage away without receiving the surface signal to do so. |
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| 1913 | October | 4 | Cadzow | Lanark | Cadzow Coal Co Ltd | John Higgins | 20 | Driver | Miscellaneous underground – sundries | Deceased attached a horse to a bogie in which were the picks of the coal cutters. He proceeded on the haulage way until he reached the top of a stone mine where he unhooked the horse. The stone mine dips 1 in 9, and he appears to have allowed the bogie, on which he and another workman sat, to run at a rapid rate, and, on reaching a bend of the road, on which were bevelled pulleys, the shears struck one of them causing the bogie to leave the rails, and pitching both men out. Deceased seems either to have been caught by the handle of the brake or the shears as he pitched forward, and was fatally injured. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on October 4th at Cadzow Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Cadzow Coal Co., Ltd., by which a driver was killed. At the termination of the deceased’s shift on a Saturday afternoon it was his duty to take the blunt picks from coal cutters in the Pyotshaw Seam to the shaft in a haulage bogie, by means of his horse, along the endless haulage road. On the day in question, he, as usual, gathered the picks, together with the tool boxes and, placing the boxes on the bogie, attached his horse to it and proceeded to the shaft, being joined on the way by another workman. On reaching a steep part of the mine the horse was detached and the bogie was allowed to run by gravity at a high speed, and when rounding a curve, 130 ft. from the shaft, it ran off the rails and both men were thrown out. Deceased was apparently thrown over the handle of either the clip or the brake of the bogie. The bogie should have been taken down the steep part by means of a sprag, and should either have been drawn by the horse, or pushed by the driver, the remainder of the distance to the shaft. |
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| 1913 | October | 5 | Dysart, Frances Pit | Fife | Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries Ltd | James Somerville | 20 | Miner | Explosions of fire damp | (1.15pm) These men were working in an area where safety lamps only were allowed. They were told by the fireman that the heading next to their level had gas in it, and was marked dangerous, and they were not to go into it. They gave up some matches and cigarettes to the fireman at the lamp station. They must have gone to the place where the gas was and begun to work at once, and shortly after commenced to smoke with the result that a large body of firedamp was exploded which burned them very severely. Cigarettes and matches were found in the place after the explosion as well as the electric lamps they were working with. Some matches and cigarettes were found concealed in a cap lying at the face. The coal in the heading was more easily worked than that in the level. The fireman had contented himself with writing a notice as he could not easily find a fence for the road. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at the Frances Pit of the Dysart Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries, Ltd., on October 5th, which resulted in the death of three miners. A previous explosion of firedamp in the Dysart Main Seam had caused safety-lamps to be introduced into the greater part of the workings. On a Sunday night the three deceased men, before entering the safety-lamp area, voluntarily gave up matches and cigarettes to the fireman of the section, who did not for this reason search them as he should have done. They proceeded to their level working place, but left it at once and went to work in the rising place of a neighbour who was absent, and to which they had no right to go, and in which the fireman had told them gas had accumulated and was present. The fireman had, however, failed to fence off the place containing the gas - his excuse was that he had no material at hand to do this, but he intended to go back to do it. He should have pulled the rails up and placed them across the road. They were working with C.E.A.G. electric lamps, and in spite of the fact that they had been told of gas, they had secreted matches and cigarettes in the folds of their caps and had begun to smoke, as burnt cigarettes and matches were afterwards found in the working place, with the result that the accumulation of gas was ignited and an explosion occurred and so seriously burned them all that they died shortly afterwards. It is incredible that miners should act as those men did; it shows an utter disregard of all regulations framed for their safety, and I trust I shall not have occasion to draw attention to such wanton conduct in future. The manager and fireman were not free from blame. The former for not seeing that a proper search was made and the latter for not making such a search and for not having kept the men out until he fenced the entrance to the place across its whole width. Legal proceedings were taken against them both and they pled guilty. The manager was fined £1. 10s. 0d, and the fireman 10s. 0d. | Newspaper report Names on Frances Colliery Memorial |
| David Duncan | 21 | Miner | |||||||||
| Alexander Suttie | 31 | Miner | |||||||||
| 1913 | October | 9 | East Plean No 4 | Stirling | Plean Colliery Co Ltd | John Forsyth | 23 | haulageman | Falls of roof | He was assisting in cleaning up a fall of roof, when a stone fell from the roof, at the edge of the cavity caused by the first fall, which had not been secured, and killed him. A second man was seriously and two others slightly injured. From Main body of report: A fall of roof took place in the main haulage road at East Plean Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Plean Colliery Co., Ltd., on October 9th, and resulted in the death of a haulage hand, severe injuries to another man, and slight injuries to two others. A previous fall of roof had taken place which closed the haulage road, and while this was in the process of being cleared away a second fall took place with the results stated. The fallen stone was being cleared away without anything having been done to support the roof at the edge of the hole left by the first fall. As the roof at the edge of a fall is always more or less shaken and insecure, it is surprising, and to be regretted, that no precaution was taken to protect the men working at the fall from what must have been an obvious danger. If the roof had been properly supported and secured before beginning to remove the first fall, the second fall and its sad result would probably have been prevented. |
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| 1913 | October | 10 | Simpsonland No 2 | Lanark | United Collieries Ltd | John McErlain | 30 | Brusher | Falls of roof | The deceased was crushed by a large stone which fell from the side of the road. After brushing had been done and the breakers taken out, an attempt had been made to remove this stone which fell but proved futile. He recommenced work under it without resetting the trees. From Main body of report: An accident took place at No. 2 Pit, Simpsonland Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The United Collieries, Ltd., on October 10th, causing the death of a brusher. The deceased was crushed by a largo stone which fell from the roadside. This road had been recently brushed and a large stone left overhanging. The deceased had attempted to take down this stone, but failed to do so, and commenced to work under it without securing it in any way. If straps of hard wood, iron, or steel had been used over the "breakers " it would have prevented this accident, as the stone fell after removing some of the breakers which had been supporting it. |
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| 1913 | October | 13 | Earnock | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | James Lally | 40 | Surface Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was standing on a gangway near the washery, when a runaway bogie from the refuse bing came down, and striking another bogie caused it to topple over and crush him against the railing of the gangway. The bogie which ran away was from the top of the incline leading to the refuse bing, and the cause of it getting away was the man in charge failing to attach the haulage rope to it. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on October 13th, at Earnock Colliery, belonging to Messrs. John Watson, Ltd., by which a labourer was killed. The debris and sludge from the washery is hauled in bogies by means of rope and engine to the top of a redd bing. A loaded bogie had been raised to the top and emptied, and when it was brought back to be lowered the person in charge of it failed to get the rope attached to it, and, in consequence, it ran down the haulage way at a rapid rate. Several workmen saw it, and whilst they got into a place of safety they shouted to deceased, but he failed to get clear, and the runaway bogie struck another one standing on the washery gangway, and caused the latter to topple over on its side, and it caught and fatally crushed deceased against the railing of the gangway. At the top of dipping roadways a block is an absolute necessity, and if there had been one in this instance the bogie would have been prevented from running away, and the accident would not have happened. |
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| 1913 | October | 22 | Auchenharvie, Ardeer Pits | Ayr | Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co Ltd | Francis McGhee | 30 | Shaftsman | Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Deceased was descending a pumping shaft with another man, and was standing on the edge of the kettle; on moving round the kettle edge to get better to the signal wire he slipped, fell to the bottom and was killed. | |
| 1913 | October | 22 | Niddrie No 12 | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | George Campbell | 22 | Miner | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | A miner had bored a hole 3 feet long into the coal in the middle of a place next to the roof in a highly-inclined seam, and he was charging it with his naked light in his cap, and was reaching over for his stemmer, which was lying on the opposite side of the place, when his light caught the explosive and exploded it. He was badly burned and fell part of the way down the steep road. He died two days later. | |
| 1913 | October | 24 | Shotts, Calderhead Pit | Lanark | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | Benjamin Skelly | 26 | Machineman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | He was setting a prop, and kneeling 4 feet behind the disc of a coal cutting machine, when he accidentally put out his foot and it was caught by the revolving disc. He died of shock a few hours afterwards. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on October 24th, at the Calderhead Pit of Shotts Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Shotts Iron Co., Ltd., causing the death of a coal-cutting machineman. A disc machine was cutting the Furnace Coal Seam, which was 2ft. 4 in. thick and the deceased was following it to set rope as the machine advanced, and in doing so he knelt down to set a prop near the back of the machine. His outstretched foot was caught by the picks of the disc behind him and be was so severely injured that he died soon afterwards. |
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| 1913 | October | 25 | Auchengeich No 1 | Lanark | Jas Nimmo & Co Ltd | Robert Boyd | 55 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was engaged throwing coal to the road when suddenly the roof fell and he was killed instantaneously. | |
| 1913 | October | 29 | Gilbertfield No 1 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | William Cunningham | 26 | Cousieman | Other haulage accidents | Deceased, whilst attempting to prevent a hutch from running on to the landing plate, stumbled and fell; his neck coming into violent contact with the taut cousie rope caused instant strangulation. He was himself somewhat to blame for failing to replace the block on the level after he removed the last load. | |
| 1913 | October | 29 | Auchenbegg | Lanark | Waddell & Son | Samuel Wilson | 32 | Fireman | Miscellaneous underground – by explosives | Deceased was illegally distributing detonators to the miners at the pit bottom in the Six Feet seam. He started with a box containing 100 detonators, and when the accident occurred there was one man who had not received them. It is probable 20 detonators remained in the box, when, by some means, probably a spark from his naked light which he had on his cap, they exploded and very seriously injured him. He died the following day. Four officials and a miner who were close by when the explosion occurred were slightly injured. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Auchenbegg Colliery, No. 1 Pit, belonging to Messrs. Waddell and Son, on October 29th, resulting in the death of a fireman next day. In Auchenbegg Colliery high explosives are used at the working faces by the miners, as the coal seams are of a hard nature, and up to a week before the accident the miners all received their supply of detonators for the day from the firemen when passing in, in the morning, but Mr. Mcllhenny, one of the Sub-Inspectors of Mines, during an inspection pointed out that this was wrong, and steps were taken to discontinue the practice, and it had been stopped in all but the Six Feet Bottom of No. 1 Pit where it was delayed pending a re-arrangement of firemen. The fireman’s station is 32 yards from the shaft, and two of the firemen were giving out detonators on the morning of the accident, one actually handing out, and the other booking them. Nearly 80 out of a box containing 100 had been given out, and all the men were in except two, who were detained for some purpose. After the fireman who had the box with the detonators had closed his box and had put his light on his cap, one of the two miners then present asked for a detonator, and while he was getting this there was a violent explosion. After lights were obtained the fireman who had the box of detonators was found to have been badly injured; his left hand was blown to pieces, his eyes destroyed, and he had had wounds about the face and breast. Five persons who had been near had slight flesh wounds about the face and arms, and all suffered from shock. The makers’ box containing 100 detonators was kept in a strong metallic case (locked), and this in turn was kept in an outer telescopic case which was fitted for fastening to the firemen’s belts to he carried round the pit. After the explosion no trace of the makers’ box could be found. Of the strong metallic case, only the lid and hinge were found, and of the outer telescopic case one half was very badly damaged, while the other was quite whole. This accident, judging from the remains of the box and case, occurred when the detonators were exposed, and the probable, and indeed the only satisfactory, explanation is that a spark dropped from the lamp of the fireman or someone close by, or from someone’s pipe into the box and into the open end of a detonator. |
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| 1913 | October | 30 | Rosie | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Dolan | 48 | Casual Labourer | On surface – sundries | He had wheeled a barrow of hot ashes from the boiler up on to a staging 10 feet from the ground, intending to tip the contents into a railway truck standing underneath. The barrow went over the edge of the staging, however, and he followed and fell to the ground, sustaining injuries to the back and burns. He slept in the open all night and his injuries did not receive medical treatment until 12 hours afterwards. He died 10 days later, death being due to sepsis. One hand and a leg had been amputated in the effort to save life. From Main body of report: An accident which happened at the Rosie Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Wemyss Coal Co., Ltd, on October 30th, by which a casual labourer lost his life, presents some remarkable features, certain of which are not at all creditable to the persons concerned. Deceased who had been in the Army lived in a hole scooped out of the top of the ash bing, which is in a very exposed situation on the sea shore. He was available to act as boiler fireman should his services be required, and was so acting on the night of the accident. Part of his duty was to wheel the barrows of ashes from the boilers to a platform placed above the level of railway wagons which were run beneath it. The ashes were tipped into the wagon. In doing this deceased let the barrow go over the edge of the platform, and he fell after it amongst the hot ashes, striking the buffer of a wagon with his back as he fell. He was found lying there by some of the other firemen who came to search for him when he was so long away, and assisted by them to a seat in the fireholes, being evidently much hurt. He did not wish to remain there, however, and went out to his hole on the bing. He was allowed to do this and was not examined, and no inquiry was made in regard to his condition during the night. The accident happened about 11 p,m. About 7 o’clock the following morning someone went up to the bing to see if he would do some more boiler firing, as one of the firemen had not come to work. It was found, however, that he was too weak to get up, and he had to be taken on a stretcher to the Colliery Ambulance Room, He was not seen by the Poor Law doctor until about 10 o'clock in the morning. The doctor ordered his removal to the Union Hospital, but he died 10 days later of sepsis and gangrene, the right leg and right hand having been amputated in the attempt to save life. The callousness and indifference displayed by deceased’s fellow workmen seems incredible. That he should be left for eight hours in the open on a cold night after having told them he was "done for" is a disgraceful state of affairs. The management have put up a guard on the edge of the platform since the accident to prevent a barrow going over. It is to be regretted that this was not done before the accident. Some statements were made in regard to the state of sobriety of deceased on the night of the accident. There is no doubt that he had taken some drink during the night, and also that he had some with him at the time of the accident, for which he had; not the permission of the manager, which is a breach of General Regulation 27. I would earnestly impress on managers the importance of enforcing this regulation by all means in their power. |
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| 1913 | October | 30 | Woolmet | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | William Murray | 44 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was passing along a roadway when a portion of the post-roof, 6 ft. by 5 ft., 16 in. thick at one side, and tapering to a feather edge on the other side, fell on him without any warning. He died about three hours later. | |
| 1913 | October | 30 | Niddrie No 13 | Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | Henry Shillinglaw | 38 | Shaftsman | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | He went 30 feet down the shaft in the cage for the purpose of measuring the length of a damaged pump rod, in order to get a new one made to replace it. When opposite the joint of the rod in question he stepped out of the cage on to a bunton, which had been placed across the shaft for some years, when it collapsed and he fell to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 125 fathoms, and was instantly killed. The bunton to a casual examination appeared to be sound, but if it had been tested with a hammer or other tool it would have been found to be rotten and incapable of bearing any weight. It was deceased's duty to make the statutory examinations in this shaft. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Niddrie Colliery, No. 13 Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Niddrie and Benhar Coal Co., Ltd., on October 30th, by which a shaftsman lost his life. In making an examination of the shaft in question, he found that one of the pump rods was cracked, and was measuring its length with a view to having a new one made to replace it ; he left his assistant at the surface with one end of the tape and went about 30 ft. down the shaft in the cage. At this point the top and second rods are joined, and there were two buntons, each 4 ins. by 9 ins., placed close together across the shaft to stand on when working at the joint in the rods, but they had not been used for a considerable time. They appeared from an ordinary inspection to be in a sound condition. The deceased, unfortunately, stepped off the cage on to one of them to get the measurement more easily when it collapsed and he fell to the bottom of the shaft, and was instantly killed. The buntons were afterwards found to be so decayed as to be incapable of carrying any weight. The shaft is the upcast and the air in it is moist with exhaust steam. This accident shows the necessity of having no buntons in a shaft that are not required for some actual purpose, and also draws attention to the fact that a mere visual examination is insufficient. Something more is needed, such as testing with a hammer, or periodical testing by drilling into the timber with an auger and careful examination of the interior to ascertain the condition of the timber. If the deceased had been provided with a safety belt, and worn it, it is probable the fatal result of the accident would have been avoided. |
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| 1913 | October | 31 | Lochore, Mary Pit | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | William Laurison | 34 | Roadsman | Miscellaneous underground - electricity | He was apparently trying to locate an electrical ''fault," when he came into contact with a girder which was "live" through resting on another girder which had cut through the insulation of an unarmoured lighting cable carrying current at 500 volts. He had been warned not to go near the girders as they were " live." Death was almost instantaneous. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Lochore Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on October 31st, by which a roadsman lost his life. The accident occurred on a fairly dry level haulage road opposite a switch house. There were two girders across the entrance to this switch-house, acting as bearing girders for three of the roadway girders. The place was lighted by electric glow lamps, supplied with current at 500 volts by 3/20 rubber insulated unarmoured cable, the current being tapped off two phases of the alternating current power supply. The lighting cables passed under the bearing girders mentioned, which had sagged owning to a severe crush on the road, until they were bearing hard on the cables, one of which had become thereby abraded. This caused the two bearing girders and the three girders resting on them to become "live," a circumstance which became known to several men, including deceased, and, in consequence, an electrician was sent for to cut off the current. There was a switch in the house just mentioned, but none of the men on the spot, although one of them was an oversman, knew exactly how it worked. As the electrician was a long time in coming the oversman decided to go to assist in the search for him, and left deceased to guard the place and prevent any person touching the girders. Almost immediately deceased was seen to fall backwards when apparently searching for something between the girders with his lamp. Artificial respiration was tried at once, and kept up until the arrival of a doctor on the spot about an hour later, but his was pronounced to be extinct. Although deceased was apparently guilty of great carelessness, it is to be regretted that the oversman was not able to switch of the current. I do not think that cable of the size mentioned is of sufficient mechanical strength to withstand the conditions met with underground, and I had drawn the attention of the Company to the advisability of protecting such cables or reducing the voltage before the accident. At the Fatal Accident Inquiry, held at the Sheriff Court, at Dunfermline, on December 11th, the jury returned a formal verdict and added three riders to the following effect, viz ;- (1) That the present high voltage for lighting the pit should at once be reduced. (2) That in exposed and dangerous places cable stronger mechanically than the cable in use should be adopted. (3) That officials of the mine should receive such instructions as would enable them to switch off current in cases of emergency. With the conclusions of the jury I fully agree, and I am leased to say all the unarmoured lighting cable carrying current at 500 volts at this colliery has been removed pending the installation of armoured cable or cable in pipes No unarmoured cable is allowed to be installed on a mechanical haulage road since the Electricity Regulations came into force, but the lighting in question had been in use before the present Regulations were established. I would urge upon all managers the importance of reducing the pressure of lighting circuits to 100 volts or less, and the introduction of armoured cables, or cables placed in pipes where necessary, so as to prevent shock accidents similar to this. | |
| 1913 | November | 1 | Blairhall | Fife | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | Michael McCann | 42 | Miner | Falls of side | He had just fired a shot in the coal at his working place, which was being worked to the rise, the inclination being about 1 in 6, and the thickness of the seam about 6 feet 6 inches. he was shovelling away some of the coal blown down by the shot without, it is said, having made a proper examination of the place. A slab of coal from the upper part of the coal face fell on him. He died on the 18th. | |
| 1913 | November | 3 | Bannockburn | Stirling | Alloa Coal Co Ltd | Thomas Dunnachie | 25 | Brusher | Falls of roof | He was removing some stones from a drawing road when a large stone fell off the building and severely injured him. Died about four hours later. | |
| 1913 | November | 4 | Dullatur | Dumbarton | Baton Collieries Ltd | George Pringle | 41 | Miner | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | He walked into an unfenced shaft at a mid-working. The fence had been removed by either the bottomer or some person unknown. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Dullatur Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Baton Collieries, Ltd., on November 4th, whereby a miner was killed. The deceased was coming out to the shaft in order to take a meal ; instead of turning into a road to his left he continued on and walked into the shaft, which, at the time, was unfenced, owing to a fence having been removed. Who was guilty of such carelessness could not be discovered. This accident shows the necessity of adopting some automatic fence which will always be in position when the cage is not at the landing in the shaft, or of having an indicator in the winding engine house connected to it, so that attention will be drawn to its not being kept closed. |
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| 1913 | November | 4 | Viewpark | Lanark | R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd | Charles Stevenson | 46 | Miner | Falls of roof | Deceased was on his way outbye to the shaft after finishing his day's work, and, while passing along the haulage road, the roof suddenly collapsed and he was killed by the fall. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on November 4th at Viewpark Colliery belonging to Messrs. R. Addie and Sons' Collieries, Ltd., by which a miner was killed. Deceased was on his way to the shaft after completing his day’s work, and while travelling on the haulage way the roof suddenly collapsed, and he was buried beneath the fall. The roof at the place was much troubled with faults, and had been repaired with new timber two months before. The fall was a heavy one, and the supports to the roof were swept out for a distance of 18 ft. There was a separate travelling way, but the miners persisted in using the haulage road, although warned by the officials not to do so, and a notice was posted prohibiting it. |
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| 1913 | November | 7 | Craigend | Stirling | Carron Co | Archibald Cousland | 42 | Assistant Machineman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | He switched on the current to enable his partner to examine the commutator brushes before the haulage rope had been set in position—the new picks catching in the coal threw the machine out from the face, which caused him to be caught and badly lacerated by the picks. He died soon afterwards. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Craigend Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Carron Co., on November 7th, by which a machineman was killed. The coal, which was 2ft. 4in. thick, and almost flat, was being cut by means of a disc machine, driven by electricity. It was the intention of the machinemen to make the machine cut its own way into the coal to start, and they were preparing for this. The deceased had just switched on the current for his partner to set the brushes when the picks which had just been put into the disc, being 1/4 in. longer than the old ones just taken out, came in contact with the coal and cause the machine to jump back. He was caught by it and thrown on to the revolving disc, and so severely injured that he died shortly afterwards. lf the machine had been provided with a device to throw the disc out of gear this accident would probably have been prevented, as the machine could then have been moved and adjusted with the disc at rest. |
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| 1913 | November | 7 | Neilsland No 2 | Lanark | John Watson Ltd | Patrick Lyons | 26 | Assistant Pitheadman | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | Whilst the deceased was putting a bolt in the cage, it was lowered, and he was crushed between the top of the cage and the pithead. The winding engineman made a mistake and lowered the cage without having a signal to do so. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at No. 2 Pit, Neilsland Colliery, belonging to Messrs. John Watson, Ltd., on November 7th, causing the death of a pithead worker. The deceased was putting a bolt in the cage while it was standing at the surface, and when doing so the cage was lowered, crushing him between the top of the cage and the pithead. The accident was due to the winding engineman making a mistake and lowering the cage without having received a signal to do so. | |
| 1913 | November | 8 | Tannochside | Lanark | Archd Russell Ltd | Frank Stools | 54 | Hoistman | On surface – sundries | He had placed a hutch of " redd" on to the hoist cage at, the surface to have it raised up to the level of the dirt bing, but failed to raise the safety catch on the cage, which prevents the hutch from coming out. When the cage was raised the hutch fell out and hit him on the head and killed him instantly. | |
| 1913 | November | 10 | Leven Nos 1 & 2 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | David Dryburgh | 14 | Engine Attendant | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | A railway wagon was to be tipped, and deceased was knocking up the catch of the end door to enable this to be done. In consequence he did not hear the approach of seven other wagons which had run over a "scotch." He was crushed between the buffers and died about 20 minutes later. He had been repeatedly warned not to interfere with the wagons, the last time only an hour before the accident, as it was not part of his duties. | |
| 1913 | November | 10 | Orbiston No 3 | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co Ltd | Peter Eccles | 19 | Pony Driver | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | The deceased and another youth were employed as drivers on a road rising 1 in 7, on which the full hutches were pulled up by horses and the empty ones brought down by hand. To facilitate the stopping of them at the foot of the road the deceased usually placed a piece of brattice cloth across the rails on which the hutches ran. He was engaged in doing this when the accident occurred, and he was caught by the down coming hutch and crushed against a tree. He died the following day. From Main body of report: An accident occurred to a pony driver at Orbiston Colliery, No. 3 Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Summerlee Iron Co., Ltd., on November 10th, causing such injuries that he died the following day. The accident occurred at the foot of a stone mine, dipping 1 in 7, driven to win a seam through a downthrow fault. The full hutches were pulled up the mine by a horse driven by a man assisted by a trace pony, of which the deceased was in charge. After taking a full hutch to the top of the mine, the deceased led both horses to the bottom while the other man brought down the empty hutch with snibbles or sprags in both wheels. Owing to the heavy gradient he was unable to hold the hutch, and near the bottom lost control and his hold. In order to help to stop the hutch, the driver had devised a system of placing a piece of canvas screen cloth across the rails, and at the time of the accident the deceased had just finished placing a piece of this cloth on the rails when he was caught by the runaway hutch and fatally crushed against a prop which was supporting the roof at the foot of the mine. The accident was due to the deceased’s anxiety to have the cloth placed properly. It was an expedient which should, if used at all, be placed in position before the tub was moved away from the top of the incline. On such a gradient there should not be any persons on the road when a hutch is being brought down by hand. |
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| 1913 | November | 11 | Loanhead No 3 Pit, Burghlee | Edinburgh | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | John Brown | 19 | Bottomer | Shaft accidents – miscellaneous | The deceased signalled the cage away on the west side of the shaft, and then raised the gate on the opposite or east side, and bent over to remove a bolt that was holding a girder, which he was going to remove, in the pit bottom, when he was caught by downcoming cage and killed. From Main body of report: A bottomer employed by Messrs. The Shotts Iron Co., Ltd., at Burghlee No. 3 Pit, Loanhead Colliery, lost his life by an accident on November 11th. Coal is drawn from two levels in this shaft, 100 and 150 fathoms respectively, in different shifts. The lengths of the winding ropes are altered at the end of each shift, so that when one cage is at the underground level the other is at the surface, In order to facilitate onsetting, iron girders, held in position by means of bolts, are placed across the shaft for the cage to rest on when drawing from higher level. The accident occurred at the end of the shift of coal drawing from the 100 fathom level. The bottomer placed a hutch containing the miners’ tools on one cage and gave the signal for it to be raised to the surface and he, while the cages were running in the shaft, knelt down at the side of the shaft on which the cage was descending to take out the bolts which hold the girders in place when his head was caught by the descending cage, and he was instantly killed. The usual custom when the length of the ropes was to be altered and the girders at the 100 fathom level were to be taken out, was to signal to the winding engineman to raise cage a distance of 6 ft. and stop it there until he received another signal to move it. The deceased, evidently, was under the impression that he had given this signal, whereas he signalled it to the surface. |
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| 1913 | November | 14 | Polmaise No 3 & 4 | Stirling | Archd Russell Ltd | William Malcolmson | 17 | Door Attendant | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Three hutches were allowed to run away down a steep brae, and struck deceased, who was attempting to open a separation door, thinking it was the rake. There was no contrivance to enable him to open the door without coming into the brae in the way of the rake. From Main body of report: The presence of a separation door in a haulage road led to the death of a boy on November 14th, at Polmaise 3 & 4 Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Archibald Russell, Ltd. The boy in question was engaged in opening a door near the foot of a cousie, with a gradient of about 1 in 4, whenever a full rake had to pass through ; to do this he had to leave the protection of a refuge hole and come into the road to reach the door. On this occasion a rake had been stopped some 200 yards above the door, and men had gone up to put matters right, and in doing this they allowed three full hutches to run away, probably through not coupling them properly. Apparently the deceased heard them coming, and, thinking it was the rake, stepped out to open the door and was caught by the runaways and killed on the spot, Since the accident a wire has been fixed, which enables the door to be opened without leaving the manhole, though it is difficult to see why such an obvious safeguard was not provided before. | |
| 1913 | November | 20 | Lochhead Burghlee Pit | Edinburgh | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | Richard Horn | 16 | Drawer | Falls of roof | Deceased was filling coal at the roadhead, when a large mass of the post-roof, about 7 yards long, fell without any warning and killed him instantly. The roof which fell was of triangular section, the sides being about 3 ft. broad. It was bounded by a parting on one side and a hidden cutter on the other. There was no timber set to it. | |
| 1913 | November | 24 | Bowhill | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | David Stevenson | 68 | Picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased came forward on to a scaffold, about the height of a railway wagon from the ground, to see a loaded wagon lowered from under the delivery end of a picking belt. Just as it was being lowered he was seen to step from the scaffold on to the wagon and bend down, as though to pick something up, despite the fact that he was a heavy, aged, and rather infirm man. He appears to have been thrown out by the wagon stopping suddenly ; he was found on the ground unconscious and bleeding. He died five days later without having regained consciousness. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on the screens at Bowhill Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Fife Coal Co., Ltd., on November 24th, causing the death of a picker. A railway wagon had just been loaded and was being lowered to make room for another wagon. Deceased was standing on a narrow platform about the same height as the top of the wagon, and knew it was to be lowered, as he waved his arms to the shunter as a signal to lower the wagon. As the wagon was being lowered he was seen to step from the platform on the top of it and stoop as though to pick out some stone and then almost immediately overbalance and fall into the four-foot way. When picked up he was quite unconscious. He died five days later without regaining consciousness. It is to be regretted that deceased should have attempted to do what he did, as he was a man almost 70 years of age, of very heavy build, and he had been troubled with his legs. As a matter of fact, he should not have been on the platform at all, but he had been in charge of the pithead when he was younger, and so would have more latitude allowed than an ordinary man. He had been engaged at work at the pithead almost all his life, and so should have known that the risk attending working on a moving wagon would be much greater to one of his failing powers. It seems that the accident must be attributed to over-confidence begotten of familiarity with this class of work coupled, perhaps, with a certain amount of over-anxiety to make sure that the coal was sent away clean. |
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| 1913 | November | 24 | Auchenbegg | Lanark | Waddell & Son | Walter Johnstone, Senr | 40 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was holing at the face when some roof coal suddenly fell over the sprags and fatally crushed him. | |
| 1913 | November | 29 | Donibristle No 2 | Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | John Seath | 40 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was engaged splitting a stoop, and had just finished this and reached an old room, which was rather badly fallen and which he intended to cross. The bar which he was setting to secure the roof was too long, and he proceeded to take some coal off the side of the stoop. In doing so he liberated a slab of roof which fell on him, injuring his back. He died nine days later. | |
| 1913 | December | 2 | Meadowbank | Stirling | Jas Nimmo & Co Ltd | Thomas Simpson | 15 | Pithead Boy | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | The deceased was engaged in taking off the loaded hutches at No. 1 shaft, which is a downcast with forcing fan. A hutch of redd came up, which had to be taken off the opposite side to the full hutches of coal, and in order to do this, the cage had to be raised 3 inches. Owing to a mistake in the signalling the cage, instead of ascending, descended and Simpson was caught and pulled down with it. He fell to the bottom of the shaft and was killed. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Meadowbank Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Jas. Nimmo and Co. Ltd., on December 2nd, and caused the death of a boy. The scene of the accident was No. 1 or Downcast Pit, and in consequence of the fan being a forcing one the top of the shaft is entirely closed in. Two boys, the deceased and another, were employed as banksmen at the time, the deceased’s duty being to pull the full hutches off the cages. At the time of the accident a hutch of refuse had come up the pit, and as refuse was taken off the same side as the empty hutches were put on at, it was necessary to raise the cage a little, as in actual coal drawing the empty hutches run down a slight gradient into the cage. When it is necessary to raise the cage, the signal to the engineman is "One,” while "two" means lower to seam. The method of signalling between the banksman and engineman was a hollow iron pipe. When the hutch of refuse arrived at the surface, the deceased, evidently, was attempting to push the full hutch off at the empty side, when the other boy signalled "two" instead of “one" and the cage descended, taking the deceased with it. This accident was due to the boy giving a wrong signal to the engineman. This boy was under 16 years of age, and was, I think, too young to be employed, at such responsible work as giving signals. Section 53 (2) of the Coal Mines Act requires the appointment of a "competent" person, and it seems to me that it is straining the real meaning of the word to appoint boys for work that affects the safety of so many persons. The management of this colliery, on my drawing their attention to the matter, undertook that, in future, boys would not be employed as banksmen. |
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| 1913 | December | 3 | Starryshaw | Lanark | Peter Thornton | Thomas McConnachie | 28 | Fireman | Shaft accidents – falling from surface | He was fireman of sections where only five men were at work, and had illegally come to the surface to help the winding-engineman get coal to the boilers. He pushed an empty tub to the pit at the low scaffold, and the engineman opening the gate he pushed it down the pit, falling down with it. It was a dark, windy and rainy night, and the electric light had gone out, but if either of the men had thought at all they would have known the cage was not at the low scaffold. | |
| 1913 | December | 3 | Auchinreoch No 1 | Stirling | Wm Baird & Co Ltd | William Stevenson | 30 | Miner | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He was walking up a long dook at the end of his shift when he was overtaken and run over by the rake which was drawn by a main rope. He ran in front of it and passed a manhole he could easily have got into. The manholes were of good size but were not whitewashed. | |
| 1913 | December | 8 | Balgonie, Julian Pit | Fife | Balgonie Colliery Co | James Lynch | 28 | Drawer | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | He was about to run his hutch on a cut-chain brae when the drawer at the bench above ran his hutch out on the brae, and, losing control of it, allowed it to run down the brae. Deceased was crushed between this hutch and the hutch he was preparing to run. He died about 9 hours later. The other drawer alleged that his block was properly set on the side road, and he did not know he was so near the brae. Both statements are hard to believe, as he passed through a screen only 7 yards from the side of the brae, and tests showed it was not possible to set the block in any way so that it would fail to stop the hutch. | |
| 1913 | December | 15 | Darngavil No 4 Pit, Greyrigg | Lanark | Darngavil Coal Co Ltd | James Gibson | 22 | Machineman | Miscellaneous underground – by machinery | Deceased had his picks in the disc, but, before putting the disc into its position to begin cutting the coal, he did what is usual, viz., turned the disc to see that everything was in order ; while the disc was revolving, some of the picks struck the coal face, causing the machine to bound back, and he was caught by the revolving picks. One of the "Stells" had given, which permitted the machine to swing round. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on December 15th, at Darngavil Colliery, belonging to Messrs. The Darngavil Coal Co., Ltd., by which a machineman was killed. Deceased and his neighbour were engaged at the beginning of the shift removing the picks from the disc of an electrically driven coal-cutting machine. When this work was completed the current was switched on to allow the disc to make a full turn, which is usually done before the disc enters into coal. While the disc was revolving, for some unascertained reason, the picks struck the coal causing the machine to rebound, and before deceased could get clear he was struck and thrown on to the disc; the position of the machine was such that neither the switch nor the plug could be reached, and before the current was cut off at the gate-end box he was terribly injured by the picks. Two "stells" were close up against the machine, but when the picks struck the coal one came out, allowing the machine to swing. Probably had the haulage rope been attached to the machine the accident would have been avoided. |
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| 1913 | December | 15 | Kenmuirhill No 2 | Lanark | Glasgow Coal Co Ltd | Alexander Stewart | 50 | Oncostman | Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs | Whilst repairing a cuddie, from which he had detached the rope, a chain-runner bringing a hutch to the bench above, and not knowing the cuddie was detached, pushed the load into the brae ; it ran away and struck the deceased. Deceased committed a breach of Regulation 28 by not warning the chain-runner that he was about to work at the cuddie. From Main body of report: An accident occurred at Kenmuirhill, No. 2 Pit, belonging to Messrs. The Glasgow Coal Co., Ltd., on December 15th, causing the death of an oncostman. The deceased was repairing a geared cuddie and had taken out the pin of the wheel attached to the balance trolley. While the wheel was detached, a drawer coming out to one of the benches on the cuddie brae attached his hutch to the cuddie rope. The back balance not being attached, this hutch ran down the brae and struck deceased. This man lost his life as the result of his own carelessness. Before commencing to do his repairs he should have warned all persons likely to use the brae. No doubt, he thought the repairs would be done in a few minutes and acted accordingly. |
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| 1913 | December | 16 | Loanhead Burghlee Pit | Edinburgh | Shotts Iron Co Ltd | Dominic Dempsay | 40 | Coal Picker | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | He had come down off the screens and was standing against a wall below them, when he was caught by a wagon of dross that was being lowered down, and fatally crushed between it and the wall. | |
| 1913 | December | 19 | Woodhall | Lanark | Barr & Higgins | William Cowan | 46 | Fireman | Shaft accidents - falling from part way down | Deceased was standing on a scaffold supported on two buntons, and while preparing to put in some collars to secure pipes in the shaft one of the buntons gave way, and he and the scaffold were precipitated to the bottom, a distance of 30 fathoms. From Main body of report: An accident occurred on December 19th at Woodhall Colliery, belonging to Messrs. Barr and Higgins, by which a fireman was killed. The shaft is 22 ft. by 6 ft., and has five spaces, three for winding. Two cages run to the Lower Drumgray Seam (49 fathoms), and one cage to the Virtuewell Seam (14 1/2 fathoms) from the surface with separate winding engines; in a space between the Virtuewell winding space and the Lower Drumgray winding space is a back balance in connection with the Virtuewell winding engine. It appears that a few days before the day of the accident an accident occurred to the back balance, and, in falling to the bottom, considerable damage was done, including the displacing of some "buntons." The repairs were being done by deceased, and on the night shift he and others had been engaged fixing collars to the pipes up to the time of the accident. On the night of the accident deceased and another workman arrived on the Lower Drumgray dip cage at a part about 30 fathoms from the bottom for the purpose of fixing "collars” to pipes, planks were thrown across between the "buntons” to form a scaffold, and before laying sleepers across deceased tried his weight on the planks to test the "buntons,” and expressed himself satisfied. Having completed the scaffold, he began to work, and after about 15 minutes the scaffold collapsed and he was precipitated to the bottom. The collapse was caused by the "bunton" in the back balance space giving way ; it had evidently been damaged by the mishap a few days before, The timber was quite fresh and in good condition, but the "bunton" had not been securely fastened. | |
| 1913 | December | 20 | Burghlee | Richard Horn | Not listed | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report | ||||
| 1913 | December | 20 | No. 3 Shale Mine, Duddingstone | Alexander Tennant | Not listed | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Fatal Accident Inquiry: Alexander Tennant, miner, 24 Duntarvie View, Winchburgh, Linlithgowshire, died on 20 December 1913 at his house, from injuries sustained on 22 August 1911 in No. 3 Shale Mine, Duddingstone, Abercorn Parish, Linlithgowshire, when a quantity of material fell upon him | ||||
| 1913 | December | 20 | Vogrie | Edinburgh | Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd | Adam Gillies | 26 | Hanger-on | Falls of side | He was filling dirt on a main haulage road, when some stone fell from the upper part of the side of the road and struck him on the head. He died two days later. | |
| 1913 | December | 22 | Garriongill No 12 | Lanark | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | John Yuille | 63 | Miner | Falls of roof | He was filling coal against the brushing face at the top of a heading, rising about 1 in 6, when a large mass of the brushing, which was post, about 4 feet 6 inches thick, and weighing probably 15 tons, fell without any warning. One large stone rolled over on him, and the left arm, which was inside the iron hutch, was almost severed. He died in the ambulance wagon on the way to the hospital about two and a half hours later. | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1913 | December | 22 | Blantyre No 1 | Lanark | Wm Dixon Ltd | Thomas Erskine | 59 | Labourer | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased was standing in the centre of the "shed road" of railway watching the approach of a Caledonian train on the main line, and was not aware of the approach of the colliery locomotive from the opposite direction coming into the same " shed road," and was run down and killed. | |
| 1913 | December | 26 | Raploch No 1 | Lanark | Raploch Coal Co Ltd | Richard McGhie | 20 | Assistant Machineman | Falls of roof | Deceased was engaged " gumming" behind a coal-cutter, when the roof suddenly fell upon him, causing injuries from which he died half an hour later. The roof fell out from between unseen lypes, and in falling threw out several props. | |
| 1913 | December | 26 | Wellesley | Fife | Wemyss Coal Co Ltd | William Gorman | 17 | Miners Drawer | Falls of side | Deceased had filled five or six hutches of coal from the front of 12 feet of overhanging coal holed 4 feet under at the face of a level, and was filling away a small quantity of redd, after which it was intended to put up a sprag. Before this was done, however, a slab of coal and stone rolled over and fractured the base of his skull. He died about 14 hours later. | |
| 1913 | December | 31 | Gauchalland No 2 | Ayr | Gauchalland Coal Co | John Vallance | 15 | Clerk | On surface – railways, sidings or tramways | Deceased, after ticketing wagons, was crossing the rails between empty and loaded wagons, which were 8 feet apart and spragged, and at rest under the screens, when, without warning, a locomotive owned and worked by the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company pushed the empty wagons over a "scotch," and he was caught and killed. | |